A Second Opinion
by nukerjsr
Summary: A male student begins to hang out Konata's group of friends. But will his presence and actions mess up their natural order of living? Don't fear the amount of words, it'll still entertain. Finally Complete!
1. A White Screen

Hello all of you readers. I'd like to say that I'm currently taking a break with my current work, and I've been deciding to dabble into other things to write stories about. Now, I really like Lucky Star so I thought it would be appropriate to try writing in a new fashion. Since this type of show doesn't have any strange or mystical view to it, I thought I would enjoy writing for a subject that's more plain and adjusting to a natural enviroment. I hope that you all may enjoy this.

While I'm on this subject, I would like to say this story is NOT a rip off of the story "Off Beat Meetings" by Splint. Splint is a great author and somewhat inspired me into trying to write for Lucky Star with this peculiar kind of plot.

**Disclaimer: **I do not on Lucky Star or any characters. I only own the character introduced in this chapter.

**Note: The Lucky Channels Formerly Apart Of This Story Have Been Removed Under My Personal Judgment. They are an Unfriendly Reminder Now and Do Not Support The Story. I Apologize For The Inconvenience. **

**And To Any New Readers, Please, Do Not Read The Review Unless You Want The Ending To Be Spoiled. You have been warned.  
**

* * *

****

Chapter 1: A White Screen

It was a boring day at Ryōō High School, with the muggy weather and dropping temperature. The students had began flocking in from their destinations be it car, bus, or simple walk. The first years were getting settled into their new life of high school, while the second years had to study rigorously for upcoming midterms. However, all of the third-year students were quite relaxed towards school life.

A large sigh echoed through the classroom of 3-B. The morning commute would commonly talk about the previous day or upcoming events, but not for one girl. The long, blue-haired Izumi Konata was laying flat on her desk. He eyes looked sewn shut along with drool seeping from her lower lip.

"Um…Kona-chan?"

She tilted her head slightly. Konata's eyes focused, seeing her greeter and friend, Tsukasa. Her twin-tailed sister Kagami looked at her sternly fashion. While they both had a clear indication of what was going on, they spoke with her in their common ways.

"Oh...good morning Tsukasa-san." She glanced at Kagami. "Other."

Kagami felt a jolt of irritability strike her. "Don't ignore me." She joined her along with a sigh. "Were you up all night playing that online game again?"

Her mouth posed in a wry position. "Of course."

"Honestly, you should focus on your studies than some game."

Tsukasa began to quickly change the subject to keep both of her friends at bay. "Kona-chan, have you been playing any other games?"

Konata positioned her head on both of her hands. "Actually, no. I've been having a really bore with games at the moment. Nothing to really to play. Plus, I'm low on money, so even the really popular games I can't try."

"If you can't play any other games, then why do you continue with the same online game?" Kagami asked inquisitively.

"Kagamin, Kagamin. An online game never ends. It is always updating, filled with rare treasures and friendships that keep the player addicted. If one is kept out of the loop, them they may never know what has happened in their own personal world! An MMO is not like your average console game."

Kagami couldn't respond to her powerful words. "Your knowledge of games is amazing in a scary way," she thought.

"But even with the online game, there hasn't really been much to do. Kuroi-sensei always tells me to get off and study."

From that, the girl slipped up from her desk. After the long night of binge-gaming, she had to keep alert to avoid the barrage of her teacher's fists. She looked at the window to see the large soccer field. But the dark clouds above simply made her more tired. She walked over to the side of the small room. The Hiiragi sisters watched as her friend moved in a zombie state.

"Poor Kona-chan." The yellow-ribboned girl said.

"She brings it on her self." Kagami said in a melancholy tone.

Konata walked around the several wooden desks of the room. She began to realize how tiny the class was reaching one of the side walls. She flicked her head and straightened her hair, hoping to keep her blood pumping. But to no avail. The lack of sleep was a surprising toll for the girl. Even after being exposed by the amount of fatigue every week.

However, her ears began to pick up a faint sound.

"OLE!" It echoed through her head. She walked towards the sound. "OLE! OLE!" As the shouts became louder, her steps because less wobbly. Her eyes, while bloodshot, began to search around the room for the source. But as she walked, she suddenly came to a stop.

Her flat body had come in contact with a desk. She groaned, as perhaps her body was merely playing tricks with her brain. Once her pain subsided, her eyes had become clearer. The "Ole!" did have a source. She moved her eyes downward.

The lovely sound had been coming from a Nintendo DS. Pearl white and emitting a sound that was quiet but still audible. She took a closer look onto the screen, to see three cheerleaders dancing around with pom-poms on the screen. But as she gazed at the girls, their bodies were constantly being covered up by red, blue, orange, and green circles with numbers. As each one appeared, they quickly disappeared with the tap of a mechanical pencil. Her eyes began to shift once again from the game towards the player.

This player was sharp on keeping the rhythm up on the DS game. His eyes or ears couldn't even notice the presence of a spectator. His arm moved with fluent dexterity hitting every note. The only feature Konata saw was that the hair of this player was a chestnut color. She looked on in awe.

The music continued to blare out its tune. "Ole! Ole! Suki na ito. Ole! hitori ja nai." Its pace was quick, but still manageable for the player. The circles then came in sets of eight. This struck some concern in Konata, but the boy managed to hit them all with accuracy and precision. Then, a dot appeared in the middle with bars on the side. The player rapidly began spinning is pencil around the song. As he stopped, the gameplay ended with a simple little bit of animation to watch.

The player made a heavy sigh, as his quick ordeal was over. While it only took three minutes, the amount of movement and tapping was not at all normal. When the animation finished, a particular screen had appeared. A large "S" appeared in a corner of the screen with various other numbers indicating score and streak.

"Tough song." The boy said to himself. "But it's always worth it in the end." As he turned to place the DS in his pocket, he had a surprise waiting for him.

A sparkling face stared at him. He made a nervous panic, thinking he was alone with him gaming. Her face was covered in amazement and interest, replacing the doubt and fatigue she previous had. She spoke in an excited manner:

"That game, I recognize it!" The boy made a weary smile. "That's Ouendan 2! A hot sequel to the original Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!"

"Why yes." The boy said, regaining some composure. "It's so incredible despite being so short."

"W-Wow, You are really good at."

He grinned to himself. "You're not the first to say that. Games like this are just so fun to be around. If you play them or watch them."

Konata nodded quickly towards that statement. "Especially if the person playing is really good."

He looked at the girl with a curious expression. As he peered back at his bright Nintendo DS, he had an idea of what to do. She looked at his every movement quite astutely.

"Would you…like to borrow it?"

Konata's passion rose towards the roof. A respectable game that she could play for a while. No cost, no problem, and not a boring game owned by one of her friends. She became a little flushed by the sudden kindness.

"Absolutely!"

"Ok then." He passed the white handheld to the fellow student.

"Thanks a lot!"

"No problem." He smiled confidently about. "Just be sure to return it to me tomorrow, ok?"

Konata felt a little disappointed by that, but a chance like this was rare. Even if the game looked fun, it was rather short, so she could make a decision to get it in one night.

"I will."

She sat down back on her DS, rather satisfied. Class was about to begin, so Tsukasa and Kagami went to their respectable areas. Konata however began quickly entranced with the game. Holding a pen, she began going through the various levels on the handheld games, listening to the various songs specifically designed for the stages and difficulty. Her accuracy nearly rivaled that of the previous player.

"All right, everyone." A voice said.

The rest of the class focused on their teacher who walked in. Nanako Kuroi began writing her plans for the day on the chalkboard. Unlike Konata, her posture and hair was straight from avoiding the need to play her online game. She placed her books down on her desk and picked up clipboard. She clicked her name and began listing off names.

Tsukasa noticed sensei calling the various names. She looked over to see that Konata was still quite enthralled with the game. She panicked and quickly leaned over.

"Kona-chan, you may want to turn off that game. Kuroi-sensei is calling out roll."

"Not now, Tsukasa. I'm selling shoes to aliens."

The purple haired girl looked back in confusion and discontent.

"Izumi." Kuroi called off her list. No response. "Izumi?" She looked to see if Konata had not arrived due to gaming. However, she peeked over to see that her blue-haired student was clearly in the class but not even looking at her sensei. Kuroi's assumption wasn't too far off.

She strode over to her young friend in an irritated manner. Upon reaching her desk, the sensei saw that Konata was still focusing on her game. Kuroi knew what she had to do, but she was somewhat intrigued with the game being played. A game where you tapped circles seemed looked very fun and addicted.

She moved her hand up slightly.

"Oi, Izumi." A fake Kansai accent echoed throughout the classroom. She accompanied this with two light taps on her student's head. Konata grunted, as the contact caused her to miss several marks on the game. The game ended with a disappearing sound and white flash. Konata peered over at her distraction to see a very angry Kuroi.

The short girl whined: "Ah…sensei, couldn't you have bugged me after my game was done?"

"Wrong answer." The teacher's grip tightened but instead of a punch, her arm pointed towards the door. One could hear the whip sounds from its fast movement. "I need to talk to you outside."

Konata reverted from her happy mood back to gloom. She slummed as Kuroi strutted outside the door. Even if her friend had to suffer, she felt a little pride retaining her teaching dominance. Once the student exited outside, the two looked at each other unenthusiastically.

Nanako extended her hand. "Alright, give it up."

Konata clutched the DS closely. "I don't want to."

"Izumi, I've been kind about this. You can play any time before school or between classes, but when the bell rings you have to put it away."

"It's not just that."

"How so?" Kuroi took in a further inspection of the handheld. "Isn't your Nintendo DS blue?"

"That's the thing. Someone let me borrow this; I didn't bring my own."

"Hmm…" The sensei began to thing about this. As a fellow gamer, she knew the unwritten laws of borrowed game. One must return the other one in perfect condition or pay condition. One must not tamper with important details such as what has been saved. Not only do these things apply, but Kuroi didn't think Konata's group really played with that system.

"I suppose I'll let slide this time Izumi."

"Thank you sensei!" The blue-haired girl said happily.

"Just if you play it around me again, I'll have to take it." She said with a sly grin.

The girl nodded and both of them walked back in to the room.

* * *

At cooking class…

"Alright everyone, we shall be focusing on making cakes this week. I'd like everyone to gather in groups of two for this. Find your partners quickly and get started. If we work quickly, the cakes can be finished today. You may take them home if you wish." The teacher said.

Konata looked with a grin around the room. Cooking was an easy field for her, and cakes were no exception. She quickly moved to the large kitchen to get all of her ingredients. Her mission was easily recognized: Bake an angel food cake. She opened the various drawers getting her tools and the apron she would have to wear. The only thing she needed was a partner.

She looked at her friends. "So Kagami, will you be partnering with me again?" She said confidently.

"Nope. I'll be working with Tsukasa this time." Kagami said bluntly. Tsukasa smiled back instantly, while Konata was left in small shock.

Tsukasa spoke up, "I figured since we were going to take the cakes home, that we should negotiate what our cake should be. Onee-chan and I have different tastes."

The blue haired girl looked away in a bit of despair. "Curses, I should have known this would happen. With Miyuki-san being absent today, Kagami knew she could safely avoid me. "Oh, what to do." Without help of either of the Hiiragis, she wasn't sure if her easy grade would be in hand.

The teacher looked around to see most of the teams were already getting to work on their baked goods. However, she caught the eye of a distraught Konata.

"Izumi, do you need a partner?"

She nodded back. "Yeah…"

"Well Yasuhiro over there doesn't have a partner. Maybe you should help him."

The mentioned boy was sitting by a cooking area on the opposite side of the room. He looked rather normal like many of the other men in the school. But as he sat in a stool, he moved his head back and forth in a peaceful manner. Konata looked with a bit of curiosity towards him. His hair had identified him. She grinned to herself, hoping maybe the gamer could have some good housekeeping skills.

With her supplies in tow, the girl walked to the opposite side of the room away from her friends. She felt slight discomfort in doing this. Konata always worked with Kagami or Miyuki, but without them, this experience would be quite different than normal. However, if she did pair up with one of them, the other sister would be left out to partner up with an unfamiliar face. At arrival, she saw that most of his items were out.

"Hey there." Konata greeted.

The boy opened his eyes to the voice. "Hey Izumi."

"Sensei told me you need a partner, so I'm going to help."

"Great." The boy stood up from his stool. "If we are going to make a cake, can we make something light and fluffy?"

"I was thinking about making an angel food cake if that is ok."

"That's fine. I think you can enjoy light cakes more than heavy cakes anyway."

"If you eat light cake, you won't feel as full. Especially if you're eating a cake buffet."

Yasuhiro grabbed some fruits around his pile of ingredients. "You mind if we use these? Thought we could try making a sauce instead. I don't usually like cakes drowned in frosting. And the best kind of light cake doesn't require much flavor."

"Hmm…a non-frosting cake. Sounds interesting. Well, let's get started then."

The two quickly got to work making their dessert. The boy covered all of the turning on the oven and preparing all the cookware for their specific duties. He suggested the sauce, so he got work adding water and fruits into a saucepan. Konata took the flour and sugar and began to get the work. Like a machine, she quickly moved towards the various tasks of making the cake. After the sauce boiled, Yasuhiro quickly put the mixture into the refrigerator to cool.

"Ah…" Yasuhiro sighed to himself. "This will be good." He walked over as Konata who was currently folding the mixture. "How's the mixture coming?"

"Good. I'll be ready for baking in a few minutes."

"Nice." He looked down trying to think of something to talk about. "Have you enjoyed playing that game?"

Izumi smiled. "Oh yeah. They definitely worked hard on this game. The music choice was quite nice and the difficulty curve is pretty fun."

"I've seen you know your games, Izumi."

She opened her eyes at the boy, still smiling. "Konata." She said bluntly.

"Konata." He responded back looking satisfied. "Call me Kaito."

"Anyway, if you do enjoy the difficulty, the last two stages are pretty intense."

"I figured. Just like the last game…"

"Oddly enough though, the third bonus stage seems the hardest to me. It's speed and life bar really has to keep you own your toes if you want that 'S' rank."

"Games do that all the time. If you think the normal was easy, BAM!" She said slapping the baking pan. "The bonus material keeps you going."

"Replay value is one of the top priorities if a game wants to sell you its sequels."

"That's why I love ero and visual novel games. Playing through them again while making new choices feels like you are playing a completely new game."

Kaito was in a slight bit of shock from the statement. "A girl who has extensive knowledge about video games…and plays ero games. This type of rarity is in the thousands."

* * *

At the end of the day, Tsukasa and Kagami were waiting patiently outside of the school waiting for their friend. They were used to this, as Konata was nearly late for everything, but still left them with some discomfort. The bus began creeping up around the corner. But at the time, Izumi had reached her friends.

"Your late." Kagami said disapprovingly.

"Sorry, sorry." Konata said innocently scratching the back of her head. "Me and Yasuhiro made such a good cake we had trouble deciding what to do with it, so we split it in two to take it home."

The twin-tailed sister warmed up a little. "Well, that's understandable"

The younger sibling took a closer inspection of her friend's dessert. "Oh…your cake looks good Kona-chan! I like how it's red."

"That's from the strawberry sauce we made for it." Konata said matter-of-factly. "What about yours?"

"Well…" Kagami scratched her face, "I wanted to go for the easy grade, so I just made a regular spice cake."

Konata smiled. "That always works. Just make sure not to eat it all Kagamin."

She went sour from the response. "You don't need to say that…"

* * *

At the Izumi house…

Konata was peacefully played her online game in a different set of clothes. Her character wondered around the bustling city looking for new items to buy to increase her stats. Her tank was well equipped, but she didn't have the expensive items too be omnipotent. The only exception was her Demonic Sword Laevateinn. She clicked constantly towards the various NPCs in order to see all the items placed up for auction.

Having no luck on the auctioned off armor, she wondered outside to look for monsters to kill. She had to trek peculiarly far being so high leveled, in order to get any experience points. When she reached the mountains, she looked at the non aggressive mobs mining away at the piece of land. Knowing the power, she typed into her guild:

Konakona: "Anyone want to help me farm?"

There was no response. Konata began to look at her computer in a confused manner. She typed again. "Anyone?"

There was still no response. The girl's confusion quickly moved her mouse towards her large personal member. Upon clicking 'Guild' she was able to see if anyone who had joined the guild at one point was logged on. There was none.

She was in a bit of surprised from that, as her group was quite social and did not have any peculiar rules on members. But her response slowly changed as she saw a familiar name appear on her list, Nanakon.

"Ah, sensei is on." She began to type her introduction to her teacher.

Konakona: Hey.

Nanakon: Yo

Konakona: Want to go exping?

Nanakon: Sure. w

Konata's guild list also stated where any member was, so Kuroi sensei would take some time. Boredom was a common problem for all online games. However, Konata had an easy solution for this. Grabbing a pen, she picked up the borrowed DS.

She had plenty of practice now after playing it at school, so she moved on up towards the higher difficulty songs. Konata had to relax her reflexes in order to hit the number of notes per second in the particular song. She began to play furiously as the circles appeared in breakneck speed. Her mind shut off any other sounds be it her TV or the stand background music included with any game.

Completing the song, her hands were in a slight cramp. If though just picking the game back up, her muscles had to get used to the fast motion again. She was a bit concerned from her "B" rank score. Looking towards her previous game though, she saw something very disturbing. Her character was being mercilessly pounded away by a dinosaur creature. She quickly began doing commands on her keyboard in to stop the action.

Luckily for her though, the creature was blasted with surge of lightning, making it collapse to the ground. She moved her character from the tree she was parked by, to see the avatar of Nanakon standing with a smile on her face.

Nanakon: May want be more careful next time. I don't want you to stay up all night getting experience back, www

Konakona: Eh, sorry. -.-;

Nanakon: You know, because of this, you owe me. Not to mention that I let you get away with playing the game in class.

Konakona: Ok…

Konata looked at the many items in her inventory to give to the deserving sensei. She had to pick something that was good, but didn't have any sentimental value to her. She moved her character closer to her partner, and opened up her trade window. The trade was quickly finished.

Nanakon: What, a super potion?

Konakona: Oh come on, that's a decent amount of gold!

Nanakon: Ok then. Let's destroy these mobs!

Konakona: Onward!

Nanakon: I hope you finished your schoolwork.

Konata sweatdropped.

* * *

Thank you for reading. I would really appreciate reviews, I have a lot of serious thought for this fanfic.


	2. Similarities

I'm quite pleased that you people are enjoying my fic. Makes me happy I've been working on this. I'm sure you will all enjoy my future chapters. This chapter may be different from the first one, as it uses one of Lucky Star's key tactics for humor: Conversation. Please tell me what you think, because if you really want me to write an enjoyable fic, I'll have to master this technique.

Please enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 2**: Similarities

Mornings were a unusual thing for the Izumi house. There was little time spent for family breakfast from the tendencies of everyone living there. But even with little interaction at this time of day, this was not a threat to everyone's stability. The only two who even needed to wake up was Konata and the recently added Yutaka. Cousin Yui wouldn't be there or be in a deep sleep from alcohol and Sōjirō didn't have a natural schedule.

For this particular morning, Yutaka was the only one awake, working in the kitchen. She had made the jump from middle school to high school and that required her to become more responsible. She was packing various foods into box lunches for herself and the other high school student. The red haired girl was quite satisfied with this little accomplishment.

When finished, she smiled as she put the lids on both boxes. She grabbed them and walked towards her relative's room. Konata had the nasty habit of staying awake through the night, so she didn't always have the time to make her lunch. Yutaka knocked softly on her door, waiting for a response. But when nothing was heard, she let herself in.

"Onee-chan, I made you a bento for school."

"Love and Peace!" Konata shouted in the room.

Yutaka looked at her in confusion. When she went further into the room, she could see that her family member didn't even notice Yutaka's soft words. Her eyes were still glued onto that Nintendo DS. The system shouted out the words Konata just uttered: Love and Peace.

Konata turned her head with happiness and excitement from her game towards Yutaka. She really didn't have any interest of what Konata's was doing, so her puzzled look stayed on her face. Most of the blue-haired girl's passion had subsided from the unexpected entrance. She made a sigh and pointed towards her DS.

"I beat the last level."

"Oh, uh…good job, Onee-chan." Yutaka said cheerfully.

Konata looked curiously around her partially illuminated room. "What time is it?"

"We don't have a lot of time to get to the bus, so you better get dressed." She responded in a worried manner.

"Won't take me long, just need to put on my uniform."

"That's good. Oh! I made you a lunch for school because you were busy."

Konata looked inside of her bento that her cousin made so dearly. Everything was packed in their position quite well, with a perfect mix of all the food groups so that it would be balanced. She closed it quickly, while Yutaka looked in anticipation for a response.

"Looks good, Yu-chan. I'm one hundred percent sure I will enjoy it." Konata said calmly. Yutaka looked back with confidence and wonderment. This was going to weird because she quickly had to undress.

* * *

Lunch arrived quickly at Ryōō High School. Everything in Konata's mind moved in fast forward from the music and lack of sleep. All of the school lectures she was suppose to note down simply went past her head. She knew that with the game's addicting qualities, she would have to get her own copy of the game.

"Konata? Kona-chan?" Tsukasa innocently asked.

She broke from her daze. "Huh? Oh, did you need something Tsukasa?"

"I was just wondering what you were thinking about. You've been like this all day."

"She's usually like this Tsukasa." Her sister quipped.

"I've been just thinking over this DS game I've been playing lately."

"Ooh, tell us about it!" Tsukasa asked enthusiastically.

"It's a pretty interesting concept. You play this rhythm game where you touch things on the screen while it is all played to music. But the particular hook is that you play as cheerleaders who have spread vigor and inspiration to various people around the town. It seems normal, until the last two levels where you have to deal with the sun shutting down and freezing the earth. This is why both cheerleading teams have to work together in order to have the sun running again."

"There are two teams?" Miyuki asked intrigued.

"This particular game is a sequel to the original. While you control the red, Japanese team in the earlier game, you also get to control this rivaling blue, European team. There is no difference in gameplay with either team you have to play as, but the original team you have is much cuter."

Her three friends sweatdropped from the remark. She was going to get into another talk about what is cute in her otaku sense.

"How so?" Kagami said, really needing to know.

"Well, you control both male cheerleaders and female cheerleaders. Male cheerleaders for easy, medium, and hard while you use female for expert. What's odd is that the cover screen portrays the two characters you use on medium level, perhaps because they look the most normal. For easy, the two male cheerleading leaders are rather young and skinny, while the leaders for hard mode look muscular and intimidating. However, for the expert cheerleaders, each of them works different. The red team wears this cute blue uniform that shows off their chest and stomach and two of the cheerleaders in the group wear glasses and has a mole, respectively. The blue team however takes more of a classy approach, wearing a red two piece suit that covers up their chest; however they wear white gloves and stockings."

"So, the characters are just for show?" Kagami concluded.

"Basically, that's how it is with rhythm games. Fun over looks." The blue haired girl put extra attention on her friend. "If you played more games, you would know these things."

"If you played _fewer _games, perhaps you would get better grades."

Unbeknownst to them, Kaito was grabbing his own lunch to eat. It felt like another boring day of school to him. But as he was rummaging through his items, he had remembered that he didn't have his DS. He put himself in a bit of thought to remember what he had done, but it hit him instantly.

He looked around Kuroi-sensei's classroom to see if Konata was eating there. He didn't want to have to go through any of the other classrooms or the cafeteria unless he really had to. But upon inspection, he saw her long, trademark blue hair supported with a blue ohage. He walked towards them, but before so he did a quick analysis on her friends. There was the klutzy girl Tsukasa, along with her twin sister Kagami, and there was the beauty of the school, Takara Miyuki. As he got closer, he wondered if it would be best to get to know her friends. After all, female otakus are a rarity and like to hang out in packs.

"Konata?" The boy asked.

The four girls placed their attention on Yasuhiro.

"Do you have my handheld with you?"

"Ah." Konata said, recognizing the device. She reached into her bag to pick up the pearly white DS she had borrowed from him. They made the trade off quickly.

"Thanks." He said. He was a bit nervous with his upcoming statement, but he went for it. "Would you mind if I ate lunch with you guys?"

"Sure." Konata said, smiling.

"Hold on a second." Kagami said defensibly. She sharply pointed at Konata's new friend. "I don't even know this guy, are you sure we should let him sit here?"

Konata motioned her hands to the boy. "Ah, this is Yasuhiro Kaito. He helped me in baking that cake and was also kind enough to let me borrow his DS to play yesterday."

"Nice to meet you." He bowed to Konata's friends.

"Well, I'm ok with new people sitting with us." Tsukasa said.

"Me too." Miyuki smiled.

Kagami felt a little displeased because they'd have to move a desk in order to seat a fifth person. Kaito was quickly thinking this and moving it into action. Placing a second desk against their current one, all the girls shifted. He sat down across from the Hiiragi sisters while Konata and Miyuki were at his sides.

"So what were you girls talking about?" Kaito asked, removing the top from his bento.

"I was talking about the game you lent me."

"Oh, Ouendan 2?"

"That's the one."

"How far did you get?"

"I beat the last song."

Kaito's eyes widened. "No way! That stage took me weeks to beat, there were so many tricky parts to memorize."

"Kona-chan always focuses on a video game." Tsukasa said.

"Oh boy, a game junkie." Kagami thought to herself.

Konata grinned from Kaito's amazement. "Granted, the extra beats at the last segments were tricky but I was still able to hit them and every single spinner my way."

"Wow…"

"However, how in the world did you get an S rank on the last level? I watched your video of it and it was amazing, I can't believe you were able to handle all that pressure."

"It was tough, but let me tell you…"

"As fun as this conversation may be." Kagami interrupted. "Were you able to finish your homework Konata?" Kagami felt guilty in what she did, but if someone didn't stop them from talking, they wouldn't stop, completely ignoring the other three at their desks.

Konata looked back at Kagami innocently, scratching her face. "The thought never had occurred to me."

"I should have known this would happen. You really need to make a habit of studying."

"But studying isn't fun…" Konata moaned.

"Besides." Kaito commented. "Studying isn't really something you would think of fun. That's why they haven't focused on making games where you study. And even if they did create those games, they would never sell well."

"Hmm." The twin-tailed girl thought about that statement. But after quick deliberation, she made a devious smile. "But isn't that Brain Age game a game specifically about studying?"

"Er…" Kaito's confidence dropped. "I suppose you got me there. But the DS itself is an enigma. It's recently been coming out with a lot of titles that you wouldn't even think about as games."

"I have to agree." Miyuki said. "I've been thinking about purchasing my own little handheld system. There have been many commercials coming out advertising various games that can work has dictionaries and improving your brain and eyesight. It's really been interesting for me."

"However, that never drops its fun factor." Kaito commented. "I recently picked up the video game Contra 4 and it has been incredibly fun. Brings back the memories of playing the original."

Konata blinked from the statement. "Oh, you'd like that game Kagamin. It's a shooter."

"Really?"

"Well, it varies, what kind of shooting games are you into Hiiragi-san?" Kaito asked.

"Uh…I don't know. I didn't really know there was more than one kind."

"Oh, of course there is. There's third person shooters, first person shooters, shoot 'em ups, run and guns, and your games that require the use of a light gun."

Kagami looked puzzled from the statement. "Like I would know the difference. All I know is that I like a game that uses guns."

Konata made her trademark cat smile. "Ooh, Kaito-san. I believe we have a closet gamer on our hands." Kagami turned red from the remark.

"I think we do." Kaito said agreeing.

"Shut it! The only games I like are shooters! What ever way you play or control them I don't really care."

Tsukasa felt upset from the comment. "Onee-chan, you've been a bit angry today, is there something wrong?"

"We're always there to help with a problem Kagami-san." Miyuki said in a gentle tone.

Kagami pushed her lunch away and placed her face on the desk. She didn't really want to say her problem, but now she was on the spot about it. Now everyone would have to focus on her flaw that would make her different from everyone else. But she had already done that with her previous actions.

"If you must know." Kagami lifted her head. Her façade had changed from frustrated to sadness. "I gained weight again!"

This struck a chord with all four of them.

"No self-control like usual, eh Kagamin?" Konata said playfully.

"Self-control?!" She lashed back.

"Calm down Kagami." Her sister said.

Kaito tilted his head back and forth gazing at the troubled girl's body. Lucky for him that she was too distracted to see him after Konata's remark.

"You look fine to me." He dismissed, going back towards his own food.

Kagami focused her attention towards him. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, I don't really see any bulges or strange marks out of your clothing. If you gained any weight, it's not like people would notice."

"Even if no one noticed, I still gained weight."

"Didn't you stop dieting lately?" Miyuki added.

"Well, yeah. I had been dieting for a couple of weeks, but I clearly made a mistake eating that cake Tsukasa brought home."

"Have you…" Kaito began curiously, "Tried exercising?"

Kagami looked at him sternly. "I walk around my neighborhood a few times when I'm dieting."

"Well you know the whole issue isn't about dieting, it could be that your metabolism hasn't been in full effect because you haven't been active enough." Kaito felt a sense of scorn from the Hiiragi sister. "Well, dieting and metabolism is tricky for every person."

Miyuki began to explain. "Usually, a person's metabolism is based on how much they exercise and are active throughout the day. The more active a person is, the more they can eat without it being weight gain. If you exercise more, your body will need to burn off more calories in order to keep going. That's why many athletes can eat a lot of food without gaining weight."

Kagami was intrigued by the statement. "But what about my dieting? Should I stop with that?"

Miyuki continued with the explanation. "Well, dieting itself is variable depending on if you do a particular diet or if you just cut out food. Cutting out the food from your diet can work but doing so can also slow the metabolism of your body."

"That would explain why people who crash diet all the time tend to gain weight." Tsukasa thought. Kagami just looked at her in shock.

"Are you telling me I've been trying to lose weight the wrong way this whole time?! Why didn't you tell me sooner Tsukasa?"

Tsukasa looked back worried. "I wasn't sure! After all, usually those who cut down on what they eat will usually lose weight. Yuki-chan put up a good idea though when she was talking about metabolism."

"Kagami, Kagami." Kaito said calmly. "I think you might just be over reacting a bit. Just exercise some more in your house. Or try a diet that requires you to eat a lot of vegetables or requires you to eat less of a particular food"

"They say diets that have you eat less rice and breads work very well." Konata mentioned.

"Indeed." Miyuki nodded. "Whenever your body absorbs food, it uses carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Carbohydrates are absorbed first and a large amount isn't required to make you full. Fats are taken next since they are your stored source of energy. Protein is taken lastly and is on the same level as fats. They are commonly used as a last resort, which is why people who suffer from anorexia suffer from atrophy."

Kaito shuddered from the thought. "Anorexics creep me out."

Kagami absorbed all of this knowledge intuitively. She didn't necessarily know there were such complexities when it came to dieting. But with her body and her eating habits, the information may prove to be useful.

"Well, thanks guys." She nodded towards Kaito. "You too Yasuhiro."

He smiled back. "No problem. Oh yeah…" Kagami looked at him. "Are you going to eat those eggs?" Kagami's face looked displeased from the statement.

Konata grinned at the thought. "Can't blame him for wanting those. Tsukasa makes the best eggs."

* * *

Thanks for Reading!


	3. Flags

I'm very happy that people like this fic. Thank you all for your comments. I'm very pleased most of you like Kaito, because his character is going to start developing through a few chapters. I think you all will be happy and surprised for all the things I have in store.

Disclaimer: Lucky Star is created by Kagami Yoshimizu. Any characters I actually own, will be sort of obvious.

* * *

**  
Chapter 3: Flags**

It had only been a week, but Yasuhiro Kaito had been becoming a good friend of the group of Hiiragis, Izumi and Takara. Usually someone like him hanging around a set of girls would cause tension, but Konata's otaku nature completely overshadowed it. The school had a habit of become peculiarly boring, especially due to the gloomy atmosphere outside. The temperature had dropped and the rain and wind was becoming more bothersome.

Konata, Kagami and Tsukasa had just got off the bus to the school. They all had a good sense of satisfaction among them even with the recent changes. All three of them walked briskly to the classroom of 3-B. They had always reached the school early so there would be plenty of time to chat before class actually started. Upon arrival the three of them placed their large coats in a neat storage space in every classroom.

The blue haired girl looked to see that her male friend was sitting at his desk rather bored. She talked to him accordingly.

"Good morning Kaito."

"Yo Konata." He looked back at Konata in a curious manner. There was something different about her, but it was fairly obvious. "Good to see you in your winter uniform. I almost forget to wear mine."

This comment got Kagami's attention. "Interesting, I never thought of you as the forgetful type Yasuhiro. Unlike Tsukasa."

She smiled nervously from the comment. "Sometimes those school announcements go over your head."

"Speaking of the uniforms." Kaito took a closer inspection at his friend. "Isn't it weird how the female and male outfits are?"

Kagami looked back at him blankly from the statement. "Well there are gender specific types of clothing."

"No, it isn't that." He stood up approaching his short, obsessive friend. "The male uniform is quite boring if you think about it. In the summer we wear white shirt with black pants. And in the winter the only thing that changes is that our shirt turns from white to black and is long sleeved. However for the girls, you wear a blue uniform and yellow ribbon that is extremely decorated. Then for winter your outfit changes from blue to red and becomes long sleeved. Not only that, but for both seasons the girls wear skirts that are of the same length."

Kagami looked at him estranged, yet impressed. "You've done your homework on this, haven't you?"

"Well, it's just an observation you make when school surrounds you."

Konata nodded from the statement. "It is an interesting thing though. That's why you usually don't see high demand for male school uniforms when it comes to cosplaying. At the café, we don't even have any outfits like that."

"You think that's why most of the schools are using blazers?" Kagami commented.

"Well, it makes sense. But the ladies are still wearing skirts. Isn't the point of uniforms to increase the efficiency of students and decrease tension between them?" Kaito inquired.

"No, Kaito, what are you thinking?!" Konata said. "Girls have to wear skirts as uniforms; it's the only thing that sets them apart! Not to mention it's such a cute and functional outfit."

"I usually like wearing skirts." Tsukasa said. "Wearing one just seems natural even if it's at school or not."

"It's just weird to me overall." Yasuhiro mentioned. "Both of them are militaristic in their own ways. Yet while the _gakuran_ is masculine it is also completely boring. And the sailor outfit is quite feminine but it's so…so…"

"Moe-inducing?" Konata said confidently.

"That's it!"

"So it's a matter of appearance and not school values?" Said Kagami in a disappointed tone.

"Haven't you ever thought about it Hiiragi-san?" Kaito asked curiously.

"Well I mean…" Kagami suddenly became nervous. "It's a peculiar thing, but I didn't really see it as a big deal."

Tsukasa admitted. "I was wondering why there is a huge difference is some of the uniforms though. I personally think all the guys could have some special decoration that makes their clothes more interesting. They could wear a neck tie or something."

"Ah, like Kyon." Konata commented.

"I suppose this is why men don't care about what clothes they have to wear so much." Kaito said.

"Wait a second." Kagami said with new found interest. "If guys don't care what they wear to school or things, why do you have all this interest in school uniforms?"

"Because, while guys don't care what **they** wear, guys do care a lot about what **women** wear."

Kagami sweatdropped from that remark. "So he's the kind who likes to stare at women. That makes me fear for our sakes." She thought.

Konata did think about what Kaito said though. "Kuroi-sensei told us that an advantage of uniforms is that they don't have to decide what you have to wear for school the next day. Is that a better advantage for boys?"

"I personally don't feel men care about their appearance as much as women do. Men only feel pressured over those sorts of things if they are going to something formal or spending time with women is involved."

"I know how that is." Tsukasa said innocently. "If I ever want to go out I really have to take into consideration what I wanted to wear. It's good if you can use your school uniform, but sometimes you can't use that as an excuse."

"Really?" Her twin said. "I really don't mind what I have to wear when I have to go out. Doesn't seem like a big different to me."

"I never would of thought of that of you Kagamin." Konata grinned. "Someone so interested in what boys think clearly would have taken that into perspective."

"Shut up." She responded sternly.

"Wait a second…" Kaito said surprised. He had a look of seriousness in his eyes. He had thought about this whole conversation in definitely. All three of the girls were in small shock not expected what he would say. But he asked bluntly:

"You work at a cosplay café, Konata?"

Konata looked at him shaky. "Yeah…"

"Wow. You'll have to take me there one day." He said honestly.

"Kona-chan should have thought that out before saying that." The Hiiragis thought.

* * *

It was lunch time again during one of the most boring days of the week, Thursday. The newly formed quintet had begun eating in Kuroi-sensei's classroom as usual. But as the five of them opened up their lunches, Kaito had noticed a peculiar thing about Konata. Her lunch was always mixed up, but she had one continuous item on her menu.

"You sure like those chocolate cornets, Konata." Kaito said.

"Mmmf." She said muffled. She made a quick gulp, followed by a smile. "They are the perfect dessert. That's why I always get them."

"Ah…it's kind of strange though. I'm not exactly sure how you would eat them."

Kagami and Tsukasa felt a quick shockwave go through there bodies when those words were muttered. They had to deal with the infamous "What side is the head?" debate one too many times. If Kaito had said the wrong words, the whole process may occur all over again.

Konata pointed at her pastry. "Well, I usually like to eat them on the thin end."

"That's the thing that concerns me. If you eat on the thin end, then the chocolate will seep out of the fat end. Which I've seen happen. However if you eat at the fat end, it feels like you'd have a rich chocolate overload and you might not want to continue eating the thing."

"I always found the best way to eat the cornet is to cut off the top part and drink all of the excess chocolate." Miyuki stated.

"But that method doesn't necessarily make a lot of sense. If you cut off the thin end and drink off the chocolate, then what's the point of combining the chocolate and the sweet bread in the first place? Wouldn't it be better to just eat a chocolate square?" Kaito retorted. Miyuki looked back at him perplexed.

Kagami twirled her finger around one of her long pony tails. "I don't think it really matters how you eat a desert, as long as it tastes good."

Her otaku friend smiled at the comment. "Kagamin here is a sweets expert, she's had thousands."

Kagami sharpened her eyes at the comment and thought, "I'm not sure how to take that, but it sounded like an insult."

"I've just been curious about something."

"What's that Yasuhiro-san?" Tsukasa asked. He acknowledged her and placed down his utensils.

"Well, you girls have been really kind and generous to me lately. And bonding with all four of you has just been a wonderful experience. So I feel it is my duty to do the gentleman's thing and invite all of you over to my house."

And from that comment all four of them went through a simultaneous shock. Sure, Kaito was in the process of becoming a good friend with all of them, but this was just so sudden. Not to mention that he doesn't seem to realize that his gender plays a role in what's about to happen. But he did at least invite all of four of them at once and not just one individually.

"Well, uh." The older twin said nervously.

"I'll go to your house Kaito." Konata interrupted.

"That's wonderful Konata-san." He responded back merrily.

"You're a game fan like me, so I'm very curious to see what type of things you own."

"I'm sure you'll be surprised." Kaito smiled. He looked at his other friends. "What about you three?"

"Uh, I'll usually accept it if anyone invites me over, so I guess I'm in." Tsukasa said instantly.

Kagami had signed from Tsukasa's response, but spoke back trying to keep it as casual as possible. "I suppose if Tsukasa is going, I'll go to. It's not going to be a big deal is it."

Miyuki on the other hand though, had trouble coming up with an answer. Social interaction was something she was shaky about, especially if it didn't involve school in any way. She had also lived far away so there wasn't a lot of convenience is going from one place to the next. Not to mention that Kaito's gender was also a concern to her. Konata would always make comments about her figure, so she wasn't sure if that would play a role in her invitation.

"Well, if I can come to your house if it's no trouble for your family." The rich girl finally said.

"You don't really have to worry about it or anything." Kaito dismissed. "I've just been thinking about inviting you guys over, it's really no big deal. I haven't really brought it up with my parents."

All four of them looked shaken from the response.

"All of that drama and emotion, and he needs permission to invite us over? Now I feel silly." Kagami thought.

"Apparently he doesn't realize we're women." Said the otaku girl's mind.

* * *

"Oh shoot." Konata said.

"Hmm? What's the problem Kona-chan?" Tsukasa asked.

"Forgot my umbrella." She said quickly.

It had reached the end of the day, but the rain was already in its second hour of pouring. The constant flow of rain had been going on throughout the week. Konata was lazy with keeping on to items but being wet was an annoyance she would pay attention to. She was especially irritated that when her hair would get wet that it would take a long while to dry off. Kagami was quickly there to offer a retort.

"Konata, you need to get into a schedule of remembering these things."

"I was so sure that I left the umbrella here. Yesterday it rained, but it stopped before school ended." She looked in anticipation towards Kagami. "But you brought one, didn't you?"

"I only brought one for myself and Tsukasa. I didn't think it would rain, so we brought just one."

"Perhaps I should really start thinking about these things."

"You know Konata." Kaito said abruptly. "I have an umbrella. If you want, I can take you home."

The girl grinned. "You couldn't come at a more appropriate time."

The four of them began walking to the bus station, but Kagami immediately thought. "I'm glad she got some help, but it may have been better for her to learn responsibility."

* * *

Upon the appropriate stop, Konata and Kaito walked off the train and into the pouring outdoors. Luckily there was no wind to upset the umbrella covering the two students. However the clouds were getting more dark and large from the increased duration. The two of them walked briskly even with the strong conditions. But even with their movements, the boy seemed a bit, he felt a bit troubled with the situation.

"This is strange." Kaito thought. "I'm walking this girl home on a rainy day. She's right next to me. I feel like it's a code for a man to take a chance in this type of situation. But then again, I can't lose the trust of Konata this quickly. She's been so nice and I just asked to see if she would come over and she was the first to agree. Female otakus are amazing, so maybe I should stay quiet. But then again, she could be expecting something from me. She isn't one to hold back on any weird or ludicrous comments. Especially any of those around her friends. Oh, this is such a strain on my psyche. To make a move or not, what can I…"

The boy's train of thought was quickly derailed. A tremendously large thunderclap echoed through the Saitama Prefecture. Along with it was seeable lightning bolt striking a far away area.

The two students panicked from the powerful combo of nature's wrath. But as this happened, the two of them became closer physically. Konata found herself with her arm at Kaito's side. Similarly, he found his arm on Konata's shoulders thanks to her small stature. Both of them weren't sure how to react from what had transpired. The only thing they could think of was to continue walking.

There was no communication as they reached the Izumi house. All they heard was the rain splashing on the growing puddles on the grass and the road. Both of them had a clear understanding over their strange transaction, it's just that silence may have been the best way to make the scene less awkward. The boy quietly pondered over the possible outcome.

Konata interrupted his thought. "This is my house."

Kaito stopped at his destination. He looked to see an "Izumi" sign by their house. "Oh, ok then."

"You sure this was no problem?"

"No, it's fine. I live about ten minutes east of here."

"Ok. See you tomorrow Kaito."

"Bye Konata." He dismissed quickly. His paced quickened as he left her towards her front door. Konata thought over this strange process. He had taken her home on a whim for an inconvenience like rain. The only thing that could effect would be her extraordinarily long hair. She grinned over the simple equation.

"I see Mother Nature can provide flags too…maybe he does realize we are women." She thought as she walked into her house.

* * *

"I'm home!" Kaito announced as he entered through his house.

"Hey there son." His father greeted. He looked rather aged, but retained strong build. "Your late, where have you been?"

"Oh, I just had to walk a friend home. They didn't have an umbrella, so I offered."

His father looked unimpressed from the response. "Well, be sure to call me next time. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

"Ok then."

Kaito walked towards his bedroom to relax himself. His room was normal-sized, but filled with tons of items. He dropped his large school bag at his bed. He then seated himself in front of a laptop sitting on a desk. The room began to light up with a shining screen and the whirring of mechanics. The teen took this particular time to think.

"Hmm. It may be hard to convince my parents to let four girls over who they haven't even met. Not to mention I haven't thought of things for them to do, other than stay in my room all day. I may have to hide a few things so they won't think the worst of me. There are plenty of things in here to keep them interested. And I don't think they really know about my technological prowess. Wait a minute, I have an idea."

Yasuhiro began to go onto his internet browser after the computer had fully loaded up. He quickly opened several tabs on the program and accessed several of his favorite websites. Upon arrival, he quickly made a few strokes of his mouse to blank section of the screen with a blinking cursor. Clacks from the keyboard were followed as he furiously typed onto the various message boards of each website. His speed then slowed as he moved his mouse over all of the characters and shifted through his tabs.

"Kaito! Food is ready!"

From that statement, he shifted his body out of the room. His screen was left with the freshly posted message:

"Hey guys, I'm about to do something pretty serious soon. Four of my new friends are coming to house, but they are all females. One of them is an otaku like me, but I'm unsure what to do for the rest of them. Any suggestions on what I should do or serve to keep them entertained?

Thanks"

"Itadakimasu!" The members of the Yasuhiro family said, prepared to eat their dinner.

All three of them began eating in their own ways. The mother would eat slowly, while the father would eat at a moderate pace and Kaito would try to shovel his food down.

"Don't eat so fast." His mother said.

"Oh, sorry about that." Kaito said innocently.

"How was school? You had to change uniforms today."

"Oh, not bad. I've been having some fun lately at school."

"That's unusual." His dad said. "You usually complain about all the work you have to do."

"Well, I've been hanging out with some people, which made me wonder…" He stopped eating for a second. "Would you mind if I invited some friends over on Sunday?"

"Well…I'm ok with it. Who are you going to invite?" His mom asked, curiously.

"These four girls who I started talking too at the school."

"Four girls?!" His dad outbursted.

His mom was concerned over the statement. "Well, have we met any of them?"

"I've been talking to them for a few weeks, so I doubt it. But they've been really nice to me. I thought it would be appropriate to invite them over."

"I don't know Kaito, this is sudden." His father dismissed.

"Come on dad. Besides, haven't you wanted me to diversify my friends? Or talk to some girls? That's what I'm doing now, and the first step towards friendship to let them into your home and trust them!"

His parents were quick to come up with a decision.

"I'm fine with it; I don't have to make any business plans that day." His mother said.

His father grunted. "Fine. Just if you plan to make anything for them, don't do it on the day they come over."

Kaito felt a little irritated from the statement. His dad would always create an aura of anger and moodiness whenever someone was in his kitchen. But he felt grateful that they would allow the group of girls to enter his house.

"Thank you so much! You won't forget it!" Kaito promised. Vigor reimbursed inside the boy, as he quickly finished his meal. He jumped from the table and sped towards his room in breakneck speed. His parents felt estranged as his happiness had removed him of manners.

Kaito slammed his door quickly with anticipation. His house's size would usually restrict him from inviting people over. But he felt new life when these complete strangers to his family were allowed in. He hoped on to his chair at his black screen. He quickly moved his mouse of the buttons on the websites, being able to see the new responses. However, seeing the new posts, his façade changed.

"You're inviting four girls over? Are you going to do them?"

"You must be gay to invite a bunch of women over who you haven't met."

"That was a mistake, they're just going to cry and shave their legs!"

"Lol, good luck getting all four of them at once."

Kaito sweatdropped from the responses. He scratched his face and pondered, "I should have known that the Internet wasn't the best place for personal advice."

* * *

Review please! Be sure to tell your Lucky Star friends!


	4. Games

Thank you all for reading, I'm glad to know my fic is still being read and gaining more readers. I really have to thank all of you for giving my fic attention since I haven't posted here a while. So...thanks.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lucky Star or any of it's characters.

* * *

**  
Chapter 4: Games**

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Kagami asked.

"This is where he said to be." Konata confirmed, looking at her piece of paper.

All four of the girls had reached a seemingly humble and small house. According to the piece of paper, it had stated to go in a line pointing east from the bus station and to stop at ten minutes. The instructions were crude, but effective as they all could see a mailbox that read the words: "Yasuhiro." The group had to build up some courage entering a boy's house, as the concept was all foreign to them.

Konata decided to make the first move and walk towards the door. She rang the doorbell thusly.

"Coming!" A voice rang out from the other side of the building. The door opened -towards the girls to reveal an over-excited Kaito.

"Good afternoon." "Yo!" "Hello." The girls said individually upon sight of the boy.

"Hey guys! I'm glad you came! Come in, come in!" He greeted.

The four walked into his family's house. They instantly took in the atmosphere of the normal home. They were already set into the kitchen which was advanced and had several additives arranged on the table. Across from them, they could see a television showing clips of a recent baseball game. They felt confident staying in the house, as it was fairly normal compared to the boy's actions.

"Let's get going to my room." He said as they moved through the house.

"Kaito." A voice shouted out. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

Kaito sighed; he knew he couldn't ignore his mother.

"Ok. Ladies, these are my parents." The boy pointed to the two older people reading by a couch near the television.

"Hello there." His mom said politely.

"Hey." His dad said plainly.

There girls began to introduce themselves. Konata slapped her hand against her chest in order to gain some attention. "Izumi Konata!"

Kagami felt strange by her actions, but decided to ignore them. "Hello, I'm Hiiragi Kagami."

"Tsukasa Hiiragi." Her twin said with enthusiasm.

"Takara Miyuki. It's a pleasure to meet you." She bowed.

Kaito's mom placed her book down. "Takara?"

"Uh, yes." She said nervously.

The woman began to look closely at the girl. Her hair, glasses and eye color gave off distinctive features that she had remember. "Oh, your father is one of my clients. We've both made a lot of money."

Kagami seemed interested. "What do you do exactly Yasuhiro-sama?"

"I'm a financial advisor." She admitted.

"That's great." The twin-tailed girl said. "I've been wondering about what kind of profession to do when I get into the college, so I figured it would be good to do something that would get a lot of money."

"Money over passion?" Konata grinned.

"If you had a job, you would more a leech more than anything." Kagami snapped back.

Kaito leaned in closer to his parents. "You'll have to get used to them, they have very opposite views."

"Kaito-san, can we see your room now?" Tsukasa offered.

"Sure. Come this way." Kaito lead the girls to his room.

His parents listened eagerly as they walked down the small hallway. Upon hearing the door close, the two adults got close to each other.

"Which one do you think Kaito is going for?" The father asked.

"They all look nice…hopefully he will care for one of them."

* * *

Konata's group looked in wonderment as they entered the room. There was a spacious, comfortable bed wedged into a corner. There were two pieces of wood furniture, a bookshelf holding a generous amount of manga, and a dresser drawer holding various DS titles. There was also a rather large closet by the door nearly reaching the roof. But in the middle of the room was a special surprise.

It was a small table as found in any Japanese room. But the top was supplied with five sets of bowls and spoons. In the middle was a large metal canister containing something no woman can resist. The teenagers all sat by the table waiting for the item to be opened. Kaito sat next to Konata and lifted the top to reveal…

"Oh, Chocolate Ice Cream!" Tsukasa shouted.

"I made it myself." Kaito said satisfied.

The host took his duty to scoop large portions of the dessert for each of guests and himself. There was a small amount of the ice cream left, so he left the container on the table.

"Excuse me." Miyuki interrupted. "Could you get me some barley tea?"

"Oy, get some for me too." Konata said.

"No problem." Kaito abruptly left the room to get some tea.

With the boy gone, the girls took this time to absorb his room. Konata stood at took an close observation of his collections of manga. They were sorted alphabetically and numerically, and while the selection was primarily shōnen, there were various titles representing the comedy, action/horror, and mystery genres. She looked closer at the various games piled on top of the boy's drawer. There were at least 20 games of multiple companies and genres. The otaku girl then decided to sit on his large bed. Its soft blankets and mattress made Konata rest her back on it with much comfort.

"Ah…" She said peacefully.

"Yummy!" Tsukasa said with the ice cream melted in her mouth.

"Konata, this ice cream is really good!" Kagami confirmed.

"It's definitely better from most brands I've had." Miyuki said. "It's very smooth, creamy and flavorful."

The door opened, revealing Kaito holding five cups of tea. "I got you all some tea just in case."

"Kaito, I really like this ice cream! You'll have to give me the recipe!" The smaller twin requested.

"Well, you will need an ice cream maker." Tsukasa made a worried face from the response. He looked over to see two bowls together with uneaten ice cream. "Have you tried the ice cream yet Konata? Better eat it before someone else does."

"Hmm!" Konata said quickly. She knew that Kagami would give into temptation and eat any of the left over food. She quickly dashed towards her bowl and placed the frozen treat in her mouth. She made a slow swallow and stated: "It _is_ good." She focused her attention to Kaito. "Do you do any housekeeping?"

Kaito chuckled from the statement and placed the tea on the table. "Hardly. I don't really like to clean at all whether it is my bed or plate or anything."

Kagami smiled from the remark. "I knew it. I knew you didn't have to be good at housekeeping to be a good cook."

"Well Kagami, I know you don't do housework, but I don't think you cook at all. So I don't really think you can back up that statement." Konata quipped.

"Shut up!"

"Well Konata…" Kaito began. "Kagami is a person concerned with her future and intelligence, so her not being good at housework isn't an important thing."

The tsundere felt some of her confidence coming back from his words. "Thank you Kaito."

"Besides, in today's society you will need people of both sex working in order to raise a family. Can you imagine anyone now a days just staying at the house for the rest of there lives?"

Kagami and Konata looked over at Tsukasa. She panicked from her friends' accusing eyes.

"Oh yeah…" Konata thought. "You seemed like such a big gaming otaku Kaito, why don't you have anything else to play on other than your DS?"

Kaito grinned. "Oh, I have games."

Yasuhiro walked towards his large closet. He opened the doors slowly and moved them towards the size. For inside the section of the room was a decent sized widescreen TV. It was sitting in the middle of a strongly built piece of furniture that would hold up several items. Wires were intricate tangles from all sides of the television. On the left was a Nintendo Wii console, while on the right there was a Playstation 2. The three pieces of technology were surrounded with pieces of nostalgia. Consoles and games with ages rating from one to fifteen were carefully balanced on the top shelves. The bottom casing had a select amount of DVD.

All four of them look dumbfounded from the amazing collection.

"WOW!" Konata said with her eyes flashing like beautiful emeralds.

"Yeah, everyone says that."

"You going to play some games for us Kaito?" Konata asked enthusiastically.

"Of course." The boy said confidently.

The boy walked towards his Playstation and flipped on its power. As the button turned red, he quickly turned on the console as well as his TV. While the screen began passing through the regular load up screen, Kaito grabbed a strange controller from near the television. He sat to the side, allowing for the girls to see the screen without interfere his gameplay. The music from the game began to pick up in a fast pace, even as the boy skipped through the introduction.

The screen quickly stopped at a screen, with two arms crossing each other with a fiery and explosive looking background. But as Kaito scrolled through the screen, they heard a series of unfamiliar clicks. They turned to see that his controller looked like a model toy of a Red Gibson SG Guitar. With a white bar near Kaito's hand and five differently colored frets at the end of the neck.

"A game that uses a guitar?" Miyuki asked.

"Indeed." Kaito began to explain the game he was about to play. "This is Guitar Hero 2, a rhythm game I imported from the United States. You basically simulate playing a guitar by using this controller that comes with the game." The boy took the time to go further into the game, hitting a selection called Career.

"What made you want to get the game Kaito? Wouldn't it be easier to get GuitarFreaks?" Konata said innocently.

"Well, probably. But forums have been raving about how fun the game is and how it has been affecting the gaming world. GuitarFreaks would be nice...but I can never seem to find a copy outside of an arcade. Not to mention that the choice of songs is quite numerous and long. Each GuitarFreaks song is about two minutes long, but any song in this game can vary from three to ten minutes."

"Hmm…" Kagami said in an interested manner. "Don't you think it could have been a waste then?"

"Well…I suppose." Kaito said, focusing still on the television stopping at the character screen. "However, I'll give any rhythm game a try. This game goes for more fun than challenge. But I suppose I mainly bought it for the song selection. One flaw I found with most Japanese games is that they would commonly feature pop or techno music you have never heard of or that was fairly mainstream."

"Hehe, most rhythm games tend to do that." Konata commented.

"However in this game." Kaito pointed towards the screen. "They cover guitar songs from several genres." The screen appeared showing a dark yellow color with several types' silhouetted faces. The first character appeared on the screen, bursting through the door and acting in a juvenile manner. He had a green, spiky Mohawk as well as a yellow biohazard shirt.

Kaito explained the characters while simultaneously scrolling through them. "There are characters to represent several genres such as punk, alternative, glam, gothic, metal, rockabilly, independent, death, and classic rock music." He scrolled back towards the glam character. "I tend to use this guy, because I like the moves he does on stage and most of the songs he plays are really good."

"Hold a sec, go back." Konata said. "Go to that girl with the red hair." Kaito obeyed her and went back to the alternative rocker. "This girl is pretty cute; I could see her in quite a number of hot outfits."

"Each character does come with an alternative outfit." Kaito changed the character's look into something completely different. Her hair went into two angelic twin tails and she was wearing a red and black skirt with matching stockings.

Konata's attitude shot upwards from that moment. "Oh! A girl who changes into a gothic tsundere! This game is perfect!"

Kagami sweatdropped. "I thought characters in these games didn't matter…"

The male otaku went back to his standard character, but changed his outfit to something more visually pleasing. He wore a white top hat, a furry black vest and tight, zebra striped pants. After making the selection, Kaito quickly moved on to the set list of songs. Each song was written crudely and in sets of five to indicate their difficulty. He went down towards the sixth tier, picking a single word song from the list.

"This is one of my favorite songs, so I hope you can enjoy it. Do keep in mind though, I play this game on the hardest difficulty so don't look too surprised. Konata nodded, while the other three looked puzzled.

The screen then appeared at a large, green stage that was emitting a purple smoke everywhere. A drummer, bassist and keyboardist were seen ready to play the song about to be selected. The blonde, glam rock character stood there casually while waving at the crowd. From the side, he grabbed an ebony colored Gibson X-Plorer and pointed back. In the middle of the screen appeared a black, moving road decorated with roses and pentagrams. Along with it were five buttons in front of it matching the frets and two meters at the sides. But the visuals were not the main part of this game.

Series of green, yellow, red, and blue notes began speeding down the screen, sometimes two or three at a time. Kaito's controller started to making clicking and clacking noise as each note was hit with precision and timing. And the television was sending off the sound of a pleasant acoustic guitar. Soon, red, yellow and blue notes were being hit in succession along with nearly appearing orange notes. The riff also changed towards a more melodic tune.

The four girls looked on in awe and amazement as the cheerful tune echoed through the room while not a signal note was being skipped or missed. The loud sounds from the controller were overshadowed by the classic rock song. They each were interested on an intriguing concept on the game. Whether it be the fast moving notes, Kaito's hands on both sides of the peripheral, or the song itself.

"Kaito-san." Tsukasa asked.

Kaito ignored her, focusing on some of the tightly closed notes.

"Kaito-san!" She said again, louder.

This caused Kaito's concentration to slight break. An out of tune plunk sound was thrown in along with the song, causing the fast increasing score to somewhat slow down. He made an irritated grunt upon the miss, causing Tsukasa to panic. But he quickly got back into the groove and fixed his mood.

"Yes, Tsukasa?"

The more naïve twin had to breathe a sec before asking, hoping Kaito wouldn't be angry. "Why are some of circles black and why are some of them white?"

Kaito paused the game for a second at a relatively slow and boring section of the level. He focused his attention on the white bar of his fake guitar. "You'll notice that in order to play, I have to hit one of these colored buttons then strum the bar. But for a white note that appears on the screen, all I have to do is press the correct fret button."

"Wouldn't that make the game really easy though?" Kagami retorted.

"Well, in order to use any of the white notes, you have to hit the last note in the line. Here, let me show you."

Kaito resumed his game, which speed has picked where the boy had to hit twenty-five different colored notes. The tune turned back to being angelic and melodic. The game even recognized this achievement, as the blonde rocker's fingers were giving off sparks while shredding into the guitar. While this was occurring, Kaito had nailed another set of notes that were coated with star patterns.

"Watch closely…" The gamer advised. After hitting a blue note, there was a small break between the notes. Kaito tilted his plastic SG upward causing the background to shine electric blue. The glam rocker followed with this action as he jumped in the air and spun the guitar between his legs and up into the air. He proceeded to catch it with finesse while the true player was acting similarly. He was hitting several difficult and decorated patterns of notes without even having to strum.

The girls' expressions shown earlier were stuck on their faces. The skill had just left their brains blank of little thought. Kagami especially looked on in a creepily intriguing manner. Being able to hit so many notes without any focus or passion. She had watch Konata play games all the time, but she did not know of the demands rhythm games put on the players.

He was quickly melding into the game, as just as the stream of blue ended he had he recently shown star phrase. While the notes were numerous, the song itself was still sounding like slow, loveable instrumental tune. Kaito hit another set of tightly packed yellow, blue and red hammer-ons and pull-offs. Without flinching, he activated his star power causing the television to light up. The blonde character performed a new trick, by throwing his guitar in the air, and doing a split while catching it.

The simple tune began to wind down, returning to a similar tone from earlier in the level. But it reached a dramatic slow point, where there was a long blue and red sustain. The boy however still activated his power up. Where at the outro, he was attack by two long flurries of orange and blue trills. The song had ended, having the fret board explode showing off a "You Rock!" The screen then appeared with a newspaper, with numbers of over three hundred thousand and 98.

"Jeez…" Kagami and Konata thought.

"Amazing!" Tsukasa shouted.

"That was very good Kaito." Miyuki complemented.

Kaito laughed innocently and scratched the back of his head. He wasn't used to this type of reaction towards his video game playing prowess. After his moment of praise, he quickly went back on to the setlist of songs.

"How about you pick a song and I'll play it." Kaito said.

"Ooh! Ooh!" Tsukasa spoke up. "I want to pick a song, but I do have a question. Why are there stars at the end of each of the titles?"

"Ah." Kaito said understandingly. "At the end of each song you are given a rank. Five stars being the highest rank. And I have five stars on every single song."

"Wow." Kagami thought.

"But, what about the gold stars?" Miyuki asked.

"Gold stars mean I've hit every single note." Kaito admitted confidently.

"Whoa." Konata thought. "He's quite the hardcore gamer. Might have some competition."

"That's pretty scary…" The tsundere thought.

She quickly sighed, as she had to comment on this feat. "If you are so good at this game and so interested in the music, what don't you learn to play a **real** guitar?

"Kagami…" Kaito said back, somewhat stunned. "Every rhythm player knows that playing these types of games are much more different than real instruments. We just play these games for fun and music appreciation."

"Oh…" Kagami looked regretful. "Didn't know it would offend you."

"Not to mention you can't really apply that principal to other games."

"Why not?"

"You like shooters, right Kagami?"

"Yeah."

"Well, do you think it would be a good idea to wonder out into town and begin shooting everyone in sight?" Kaito commented with a smirk.

"Ok, ok, you made your point." The twin said defeated.

"Hmm…" Konata mumbled, interested in the topic. "I wonder what it would be like if there were random people walking around eating flowers and mushrooms and stepping on turtles…"

Kaito chuckled, while Tsukasa and Miyuki looked back confused. Tsukasa however looked back at the screen and the list of songs. As Kaito was randomly scrolling through songs at the top it was trying to think of something else to play and show off his skills.

"Play that song Kaito!" Tsukasa asked excitedly.

"Hmm?" He stopped moving the screen up and down. The song lit up was in the middle of the second tier. But different from the last song was that this one had lyrics. He decided to play it instantly as the song wouldn't be very difficult.

This song had a slower tune to it, but had a very memorable and catchy riff. Everyone was glued onto the game once again, even if the difficulty was rather toned down. The notes were coming in a simple, steady cascade. It seemed boring until sets of chords of all the colors began popping up. This was normal to Kaito, but the other girls were surprised by the quick hand changes he had to make. At this point, the song was giving off a repetitive, but fun chorus.

Konata began listening to the song intuitively. The lyrics, even though she couldn't understand them, seemed very familiar to her in a sense. She made a cat like grin and began to speak.

"Clearly, this song is about Haruhi."

"Hmm?" Tsukasa turned her head. "What makes you say that Kona-chan?"

"The chorus clearly states the words 'SOS'. It has to be some sort of reference."

"I seriously doubt that Konata." Kagami dismissed.

"Aren't references to movies, shows and other games common these days?" Miyuki stated.

"There are three references to fictional bands in this game, Konata. But one of them is not Haruhi." Kaito said factually.

"What makes you say that?"

"Cause this song was written decades ago."

Konata's hopes were quickly dashed from that statement. She was a little unconcerned especially since the chorus and beat of the song became picking up. SOS was constantly being repeated, so while the game was fun it was becoming a bit irritating. But her mood shifted as so far in the song, Kaito hadn't missed a single note.

However, the track had an unfamiliar power under its sleeve. Something Kaito had experienced time after time. At the last sentence, there was a strange pattern of green, red and yellow notes. Kaito began pressing them quickly, but a lone plunk sound filled the room. The boy hit the rest of the notes in the outro though, but in a melancholy fashion. As the song ended though, he felt taunted by a 99 appearing on the screen.

"Don't worry Kaito. You fought valiantly!" Konata encouraged.

Tsukasa admitted. "I don't ever think I could hit something like that."

Kaito smiled, but returned back towards the opening selection screen. He placed the guitar down and stretched his arms. "I should take a little break…my ice cream has already melted."

"So now what?" Konata asked.

"Does someone else want to play?"

"I'll play." Kagami admitted.

Everyone stared at her. Kaito was surprised from the response, but the others were completely dumbfounded.

Noticing their stairs, the twin-tailed girl got defensive. "What?! The game looks interesting! Aren't I allowed to extend my horizons!?"

"It's not that Kagamin…" Konata said sheepishly. "Just that, I didn't think someone as smart and willful would make that plunge."

"Shut up." She said sourly.

"Don't worry Kagami-san." Kaito reassured. "There are some tutorials you can play."

"Sounds good." She said, her mood lightening up.

He sat down on by the table near Miyuki. He then announced to everyone. "This process takes awhile, so you'll have to think of something to do."

"Okay." Everyone else said simultaneously.

Kaito began slowly eating his melted dessert, with Miyuki reaching into the canister to get some more. Konata pulled the pearly white DS near the counter and began playing an addicting puzzle title from his library. Tsukasa wasn't to sure what to do, so she peered over the large collection of manga. It was no where near as big as the Izumi's collection, but it still was quite massive. She reached by top shelf and pulled out a peculiar manga.

She said the manga title to herself. "Ber…serk." It was interesting to her, as the cover had featured a large, burly man with a gigantic sword. It must be a fantastic story in order to have something like that.

As this was happening, Konata spotted what was happening from a distance. She was quiet, but could clearly recognize the title. She had to place down her handheld for a second to tell about the event. She crept near towards the happy Kaito who was licking the ice cream. She poked him lightly and moved her mouth near his ear.

"You should see what Tsukasa is about to do."

The boy quickly turned his head to see what the younger Hiiragi twin was about to read. He could clearly see the title. The two made a devious grin of what was about to ensue. Tsukasa didn't really care what volume she got, so she randomly opened the page. But as quickly as the book was opened, it was dropped on the floor.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The girl shrieked. Everyone looked at her, with Kaito and Konata snickering to themselves. "There's blood and gore in this story, oh, I hate horror stories!"

"Well…hmmf." The boy said, trying to hold back all the laughter. "There two other titles near it are pretty good; you should give them a try…"

"You know…this game is pretty fun." The taller twin admitted.

The two otakus quickly had blank faces from what had transpired. It was hard to tell what the more surprising event of was in that small fraction of time.

* * *

After a couple of hours of chatting, manga and video games, it was time to leave. The four of them prepped up putting on their larger pieces of clothing. However, under Kagami's arm was a large, red controller. Kaito leaned on his chair while the four girls were huddled near the door.

"Thanks for letting me borrow the game Kaito-san." Kagami said.

"I'm sure you'll love it. I'm surprised you picked up on it so quickly." Kagami smiled innocently and scratched the back of her head.

"You'll have to invite us over again sometime. I loved your cooking." Takara said.

"Well…I'm glad for that Miyuki-san. I've been thinking of a few more recipes to tinker around with."

Tsukasa opened the door. "Bye Kaito!" She shouted.

Konata said the last statement before leaving the room. "See you later Kaito-kun!"

As the door shut, Kaito thought about those words Konata said. With all the time and planning he did for the girls, he was unusually satisfied. Even with one of his games borrowed and no trace amounts of chocolate left. He looked back at his computer and remembered the erratic comments made by his forum members. But there was something racking around in his brain after the transaction.

"Kaito…kun?" He said to himself. The boy slid down into his chair, blushing heavily.

* * *

Thanks for reading.

Now, I know for a fact that GuitarFreaks is bigger in Japan than Guitar Hero. I don't even know of it's popularity over there. But the fact is, I do know a lot about Guitar Hero's popularity both gaming and social wise. That's primarily why I'm referencing it. And it's a fun and popular game overall, that's why I'm having Kaito play it. Extra points for any of you readers who can name the songs mentioned.

Please Review!


	5. Appointment

Sup readers. Chapter 5 has arrived on time like I had hoped. I do feel sorry for any of my readers last chapter. It might of been awkward cause there was a lot of game-related humor. But it does still make me happy people are reading, because this archive definately is striving. Games and Anime are recurring theme, so I just hope people are still enjoying the story. Please tell me. And I don't have any major gaming related chapters until much later. There's a little bit of game humor in this chapter, but I believe it's more for Kaito's development. Also, Xfire, the first song playing Chapter 4 was Jessica, not YYZ. You weren't too off though.

Speaking of this chapter, it is going to be a little long, but there's plenty of dialogue and fun, so I hope you will enjoy it. I actually cut out a scene, it was so long. But you will see it in Chapter 7. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 are going to be big for Kaito, so I hope you all will keep reading. Thanks again!

Disclaimer: Lucky Star is owned by Kagami Yoshimizu.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Appointment  
**

At the Izumi's house, Konata, her father Sōjirō, and Yutaka were eating at breakfast for once. All three of them were quite excited today as they all had special plans. The two girls were thinking of the same mission, and with their guardian in such a good mood, now would be the time to strike. All they needed was a way to put him in a sense of security.

"Hey dad…" Konata said, in a sly tone. "Have you been playing the new system we got recently?"

Sōjirō nodded. "Yeah. Any reason you've asked?"

"One thing I notice with commercials for the Wii is that they like to advertise games that are for people of all ages, instead of a target group."

"Hmm…" The father pondered. "I've been seeing those too. Most of the games are family oriented and I've have fun playing them. But I'm sure you have much more fun playing them Konata."

Yutaka spoke up. "I enjoy it too even though I'm not too good at it."

"You just have to play the right game Yu-chan. Some are designed where you hardly ever lose." Konata said factually.

"That's very true." Sōjirō said. "I've really been enjoying that Galaxy game you've purchased. The music, graphics, control and quality are absolutely great, but it's so easy to get extra lives. I'm a man who craves a challenge."

"That's right; you grew up when games were more linear and difficult."

"Ah yes…" The dad said nostalgically.

"I remember the days of going to the arcades with all the money I could carry in my pockets. The only goal was to survive, have fun, and possibly beat the high score. Sure the look was simple, but it was the simple and addictive gameplay that had turned this world into what it is today! And with all the hard work, you were given praise and respect from all those watching. It was truly a golden age."

"Arcades are still like that." Konata said satisfied. "Speaking of which, do we have any of the older systems?"

The man's face bowed down. "I was more of a manga fan than anything, so most of my funds went into supporting that."

"Well, I suppose that's ok." His daughter said, comforting him. "You know, the new systems will allow you to download some older games for a small fee."

Sōjirō's attitude perked from that statement. "Konata, may I download any of those old games?!"

"Of course, of course."

"Oh thank you!" Sōjirō quickly wrapped his arms around the blue-haired girl. "I'm so happy to have raised such an accepting child!"

"It's not a big matter dad…" Konata said, embarrassed.

"I'd hate to interrupt…" Yutaka said politely. The two relatives moved their attention towards her. "Would it be ok if I invited someone over today? I was just thinking I should be nicer to some of my friends from school."

Konata made a grin. "Minami-chan?" Yutaka made an enthusiastic nod.

Sōjirō-san didn't have to make a choice. "Sure, sure."

"Can I do the same dad?" Konata said in a playful tone.

"You don't have to ask me Konata!" He said joyfully. "The thing is, since we are having company over you'll have to buy some groceries on the way home. Cousin Yui will be with us too."

"No problem!" Yutaka and Konata said enthusiastically.

The old man smiled and thought the possibilities to himself: "I wonder if she'll invite her cute tsundere friend…"

* * *

At Ryoo High School, the ending bell rang just as the teacher finished her lecture. Everyone had looked satisfied that day. They all had to work on a test that day, which had great results of all. Konata and Tsukasa were able to get decent scores while everyone else did quite well. Not only that, but Konata's plan to invite a friend to her house was well into fruition. Her invitee walked besides her.

"Konata?" The voice said. She turned around to see Kaito with his hand on his lower jaw. "You have a cousin who goes to this school, right?"

The girl nodded. "Yeah, her name is Yutaka."

"Could you…describe her to me?" He asked.

Konata thought to herself. It wasn't unlikely that boys would ask about people's relatives. She had to think about a way to describe Yutaka without her giving off any negative comments. Yutaka's sickness and small stature was very prone to make people feel weary around her. Then again, Kaito didn't really think size was a problem. She was thinking, until she saw something from across the room.

"Oops." Miyuki said. She stood up too quickly from her seat, causing her book to fall off the desk. She had quickly bent her back down to grab it and place it back in her bag. The short girl grinned from her simple actions.

From this, she had formed an answer. "Yutaka is like Miyuki-san. A walking pillar of turn-ons."

Kaito's eyes quickly expanded. "Really…" He played off, trying to act not surprised. "Well, I'm going to enjoy going over to your house."

The boy turned back to get all of his books. But he couldn't help but think and grin to himself. "Wow…there's another girl out there like Miyuki. Who's beautiful, super polite, wears glasses, has long hair, and has large breasts." To imagine there's another girl like that related to Konata just made him gleeful.

The two's mood shifted as the classroom door was opened.

"Yo!" Kagami greeted.

"Hey there Kagamin." Konata greeted.

"Onee-chan! I did well on the test today!" Tsukasa cheered, approaching her sister.

"That's good."

Kaito took this time to enter in the conversation. As did Miyuki.

"Hey Kagami-san. You've been enjoying my game?"

Kagami made a small smile. "It's been pretty fun so far, even though I've only reached half way through."

"It has very addicting qualities…"

"Hehe, I didn't think Kagami would get so absorbed." Konata joked.

"I do other things outside of school you know." The tsundere said in an irritated tone. "Hey Kaito-san, since you enjoy the game so much, won't you feel sad with the game gone?"

"That's right. You had us take your PS2 with you." Tsukasa mentioned.

"That's because my system has a modchip." Kaito said assured.

"Modchip?" The younger Hiiragi twin asked.

Konata sighed as she had to explain. "Game companies and developers felt it necessary to add a code into systems that makes you only play games that only came from your area. Unless a company has fully confirmed and allowed it release, that means you can't play any imported items. That's why you need a special chip in your consoles in order to override the code. Don't companies understand that we are all gamers no matter where we come from? They should make more money selling it to everyone anyway…"

"I believe the purpose of that is to make sure all of countries get the respectable of money." Miyuki chimed in. "That way, the business never decreases in one part of the world."

"Makes sense." Kaito said. "But, I don't like spending the extra money." He focused his attention back on the purple haired girl. "I won't feel lonely though. I have the third installment of Guitar Hero on my Wii."

"That game comes out for the Wii?!" Konata said enthusiastically.

"It does. But unfortunately I had to download some risky stuff in order to get my console to play it."

"I hope you aren't doing anything illegal there Yasuhiro." Kagami condoned.

"You'll have to bring it to my house tonight." Konata said quite confidently.

The other three girls took the statement by surprise.

"What?!" Kagami stated. "He's going to your house?!"

"Jealous, Kagamin?" She responded coyly.

She tried to play it off like she didn't care. "…course not."

"Oh boy, I should have seen this coming." Kaito said to himself. "Maybe because I lent her that game?"

* * *

After a few hours, it was sunset. Kaito looked over at the house he had taken Konata to about a week ago. He felt strangely concerned with going into her house, even though he had no problem inviting her over to his house. Men usually have to worry about these kinds of interactions. Luckily, Kaito was armed this time. In both of his arms was a tightly gripped Wii console box.

The boy took a quick breath, and rang the bell with one of his loose fingers. His heart began to accelerate as he could hear quickened steps moving towards the door. The door creaked opened, to reveal an anticipated otaku on the other side.

"Kaito-kun! Glad you came." Konata greeted.

"Thanks for inviting me." Kaito squeaked out.

He walked in the door with his items still in tow. Everything looked rather normal and basic, but it probably had a similar hidden collection like Kaito's room. His opinion changed though as he saw a television with a humble console connected to it. He smiled to see that people were excepting of Konata's gaming, unlike at his house.

"Would you mind if I set everything up?" He asked.

"Go ahead." Konata smiled.

Kaito placed his box over by the television. He took the console out of the box and removed the plastic guitar he strapped on his back. He was quickly able to plug in all of the wires and hook up the console adequately.

"We are going to have dinner soon, how about you go read something in my room?" The girl offered.

"Ok then."

"Go to the room near the bathroom. I'm sure you'll be surprised."

The male otaku was a bit surprised at the moment. He wasn't sure what to expect from her room, considering her tendencies. He reached the correct door and opened it briskly. It was filled to the brim with several otaku needs. Manga, posters, figurines, a computer, and games took up nearly every piece of the room, leaving a small amount of the space of basics. He noticed a particular number of items from Kyoto Animation. The few pieces of furniture there were holding up thousands of books.

Kaito looked over at Konata's bed to see a rather large stack of manga. He began running his finger through the various copies, hoping one of them would catch his interest. As he looked though the titles, he mentally checked them all in his memory. Some he recognized of being of boring genres, other being some things he had already owned. But he came by something that caught his eye, that didn't look like a volume at all.

From all of copyrighted materials, Kaito grabbed a slim, light blue notebook. As he started from the first page he was quickly fascinated in it. He couldn't really make out a plot, but he was more interested in the characters. The story was about two girls. One of them was quiet, but with a lanky and physical build. The other was remarkably short, yet with a large amount of optimism.

Every page was filled with their thoughts and opinions. They were morally conflicted over how they would come over all of the adversities they had to deal with in their forgotten time. What was more peculiar is that many of scenes were romantic or even sexual between the two girls. Kaito couldn't keep his eyes off the story, but he didn't feel the shock that any normal person would feel towards these types of works.

"Yasuhiro! Food is ready!" Konata's voice echoed through the house.

The boy exited the room to see three teenagers near a spacious dinner table. However, there were six different plates prepared with a full cooked meal. The Izumi family had created on of there favorite dishes, Chicken Curry. Both of the guests looked happy at the very appetizing meal. But as Kaito moved closer, he came in contact with the first years students. All four of them exchanged glances.

He couldn't take any risks, so the male spoke in a positive manner to the two strangers. "Why, hello there. Who are you?"

Konata pointed at the shorter one of the duo. "This is my cousin Yutaka, the one I was speaking about earlier."

"It's, it's good to meet you!" The girl said if a chipper tone.

"The same. Yasuhiro Kaito." He greeted back.

Internally though, he observed the girl. While she was awfully kind, her physique was very tiny and frail. She didn't possess any of the wonderful moé factors that he would usually see in Miyuki-san. The girl next to him was almost at his height, but again lacked any of the physical traits he so craved in women. Her only noticeable features were her long body, her mint green hair, and her sharp, piercing blue eyes.

"I've been had…" The boy thought.

"Iwasaki Minami." The tall one said quietly, as she bowed to him. "Are you a friend of Izumi-san's?"

"Oh yeah, I am. We met recently and she was kind enough to invite me over to her house."

"I see." The girl dismissed as she walked off into the other room. At this time though, she looked down on her slender body. She patted her chest lightly and thought to herself:

"So you can still get a boyfriend even without them. Best of luck Izumi-san."

Kaito couldn't help but ponder over what was happening either. "Is she touching her boobs?"

"Oh, Konata? Is food ready?" A male voice rang out through the house. The Izumi father entered in the room, smelling the spices of the curry. It pleased him he would once again be able to eat dinner with some teenaged ladies. Yet as he looked towards his family, he was shocked to see that Konata's was not one of her normal friends.

But a boy…

The two third-year students looked at him curiously while internally it had felt like he had been annihilated Kenshirō Kasumi.

"Konata…is this your friend?"

The girl nodded. "Yeah." She said plainly.

"It's good to meet you Izumi-san." The boy bowed, extending a hand for a handshake.

"So you're my daughter's friend." He said in a shaky tone.

As everyone sat by that table, Sōjirō began to vow to himself. "I swear, if this boy ever does anything remotely negative to Konata he will live to regret it. Why couldn't she of brought over one of her cute little friends?! This whole evening is going to be awkward now."

All five of them sat at the table. Kaito sat near an empty chair and his dear friend, while Sōjirō was at the end with his family members. Minami also sat near the empty chair but was next to Yutaka, and facing directly at Kaito. He felt strange with the prepared dish at the vacant seat, but he decided not to ask about it. Before the meal could begin though, the door burst open.

"Ya-ho!" A loud voice said from across the room. Everyone's head turned to see a young adult with dark green hair and glasses. She was waving her arms wildly as she could see her family at the dinner table. "Cousin Yui is here just in time!"

Her relatives waved back at her while Minami nodded her head. She pranced over by the table, but she was surprised to see a different person in the house. "Ooh? And who is this?" The adult said in a curious, happy tone.

"My name is Kaito." He said, absorbing some of Yui's energy.

"It's always good to see Kona-chan getting new friends! Glad to meet you!" She said, as she sat down very quick towards the table.

Kaito looked over this lady happily. She had the qualities and loving personality that he liked. "Now this is more like it…" He thought to himself.

"Itadakimasu!" The six of them said.

The family and their guests quickly moved towards there plates. Kaito gathered some rice and the flavorful mixture on his spoon, moving it towards his mouth. As soon as the spices hit his mouth, he mind and head seemed to melt away. He had to stop for a second to absorb the entire flavor from the vegetables and meat. After swallowing, he had to talk.

"Kona-chan, this is amazing!"

"Kona-chan…" Sōjirō mumbled to himself, defeated.

"Thanks. I always make this kind of stuff, so I've taken the time to master it." Konata admitted.

"Onee-chan is a wonderful cook." Yutaka complemented.

"I've been actually tampering with recipes myself. I can fry things up pretty well, but I don't think I could make something like this." Kaito said.

"I wish I could cook like this…" Yui said innocently. Yutaka looked at her friend in an interested fashion.

"Minami-chan, do you do any cooking around the house?"

"Not really…" She said weakly. "I don't have to, so I never took the time to do it."

Kaito ate a few more spoonfuls of curry rice before talking. "Well you definitely should. Especially if you could make wonderful dishes like this."

Yui grinned from the comment. "Oh ho. I see Kaito-san really likes Konata."

"What makes you say that?" Yutaka asked.

"Clearly he loves her, that's why he would complement her so early."

Everyone else felt stunned from what she said. It was such a bold and simple statement to say so quickly and without thought.

"Nah." Konata denounced without thought or care. "We don't love each other, do we Kaito?"

Kaito wasn't sure how to answer, but he had to say something at that moment. Or the entire family would be suspicious about him from there on. "We haven't known each other that long so that's a hasty conclusion to make."

"Thank goodness." Sōjirō said to himself.

"But that's what boys do. They complement everything the girl does." Yui said confidently.

"Maybe it's like that old saying…the way to a man's heart is through his stomach." Minami said. "Do you think that's true Yasuhiro-san?"

"Kind of." Kaito mumbled from the food in his mouth. "Personality is truly the key. A lady who can put up with you while keeping an honest smile is something you can't ignore."

"Atleast he isn't a lolicon." The father thought to himself. "I should say something; he's probably thinking a few things about me."

"That's definitely what you want." Sōjirō said aloud.

Konata began to think to herself. "Gah, I need to get rid of this talk about romance. Dad might start saying things he'll regret or will bring up mom."

She looked at her smaller cousin. "Yu-chan, you became class representative right? How's that been working out? Kagamin and Yuki-chan usually are busy from their duties."

"Actually…" The weak girl said. "I missed too many days of school from illness, so they had to elect a new representative."

"I had the experience, so they nominated me." Minami confessed, while being embarrassed.

"There's nothing Minami-chan here can't do!" Yutaka said reassuringly.

Kaito began munching away at his salad while he began to think about the two first year students. "What is it with these two? She's extremely short and sickly…yet she's very happy and seems to approve of everything anyone does. Do the gods hate this girl? I shouldn't think about this."

* * *

And hour had passed, and the four students went into their respectable rooms. All of them were working on the massive amounts of homework the Japanese school system had planned. Yet while Minami and Yutaka were working diligently, the other two were completely unfocused. Kaito was too busy thinking to work hard on his work. And Konata was busy alternating between slaying monsters and doing equations to get anything done efficiently. But after making a quick kill, she decided to perk up the atmosphere of the room.

"So Kaito-kun, was I right?"

"Hmm? About what?"

"About Yu-chan. Isn't she moé?"

"Eh…not really." Kaito confessed.

"What?!" Konata said stunned. "None of my friends talked about it, but I figured you would see all of the signals!"

"She does have the qualities, but she looks nothing like Miyuki. Now your other cousin, Yui-san, she's a different story."

"So I guess you care for looks?" Konata said with her tone dropping.

"Well Miyuki-san is very…blessed. But Yutaka is just such a shock to what I would really want."

"Oh…" Konata said.

"But, it's not like that matters."

"I gotcha."

Kaito felt as if he made a mistake. "Kona-chan, do you see yourself as moé?" He asked honestly.

"Hmm…" Konata thought.

No one had really asked her the question. She had thought that this particular question would only relate to people like her dad. While she was small and cute, she didn't have the height or chest size most men had craved. But her attitude was very different, and Kaito said that personality is the key to a relationship. She scratched the back of her head innocently.

"I don't think I'm that moé…"

"Well then, I have another question. Are you happy?"

She made a catlike smile. "Of course."

"Are you confident?"

"Yep."

Kaito smirked from her answers. "Well, I'll have you know that I find those two things very moé."

Konata couldn't really respond from that, but she looked back towards her online game. Doing so, her cheeks turned red in excitement. Kaito wanted to look, but his eyes were more focused on something else.

"Hey Konata…"

"Yeah?"

"When you were cooking, I was reading in that blue notebook. That a neat little manga going there, did you draw it?"

"Nah. My friend Hiyori is an amateur dōjinshi artist, she drew it. She's friends with Yu-chan, so I should introduce you guys tomorrow."

"Sounds good. It's always nice to meet more otakus." Kaito said jokingly.

"It always is…" Konata said happily.

Kaito quickly closed his books after that statement. "I'm done with my homework, so you should go watch me play some Guitar Hero."

"Ok." She said plainly, as the two walked out the door. But she did think to herself. "Nice to know I have someone else to copy homework from…"

As Kaito moved to the television with the console, he also began to think. At the table, there was no mother. Just Konata's loveable and smart father. Some families had parents who had to work all day, like his own family. Yet this girl wasn't mentioned. As he plugged in the cables, he decided that perhaps it would be best not to ask about it.

The male otaku strapped the guitar on his back and sat in his playing stance. Konata looked over this guitar. It was white and shaped like the Gibson Les Paul Guitar often shown in the media. A wiimote was snuggly placed inside the controller and was seeable over the faceplate. The game loaded up and Kaito sped through the entire introductory and company cut scenes.

"Let me tell you something Konata. This game is going to be much different looking than the previous one." Kaito advised.

"Why's that?"

"I believe the one of original companies was bought off by a larger one. They kept the gameplay true, yet it looks very different."

Kaito went past the main screen, again selecting the Career option. The current character he was using, was much different from glam rocker in the other game. It was very attractive girl with a red ponytail and black lipstick. Her body, covered in pieces of black leather with fiery decals going all the way down to her red high-heeled shoes. Her guitar was also quiet special too. It looked like a multicolored metallic shark head with a spiky color. However the strings and end of the guitar could clearly be seen.

"Hmm…that's a nice character there. Show me the others." Konata demanded.

"Sadly, it doesn't get better from there."

As he scrolled through the characters, Konata's jaw dropped from the massive changes. Some of them were minor and a few of them actually had improvements. But a few of them looked as if they had aged twenty years or had a sex change operation. Not only that, but the cute gothic character was gone. And the alternative rocker she had quickly loved was ruined due to her heavily altered face and breast enhancement.

"What the, why did they change them all!?" Konata questioned angrily.

"Don't ask me. I think they designers are nuts." Kaito assumed. He scrolled towards a different character that had twin-tails. "What's weird to me is that they added a cute little J-pop character. Yet, there isn't any Japanese music in this game while there are several other languages covered."

"Oy…this is confusing. But, it's the gameplay that matters." She dismissed. "Play a song for me Kaito!"

"Oh, I have just the pick."

He moved quickly towards the song list, but this time he set his mind on the bonus songs. He quickly moved to the middle, picking a simple one word song. As the screen loaded up, Konata gazed at the various physical changes made towards the game. The stage where the song was to be played was much more detailed. It was in a large, purple setting with a neon man behind the guitarist. The fret board suddenly appeared on the screen.

Green notes began appearing on the screen with splashes of red and yellow. It quickly cascaded into the other colors in a fast paced rhythm. There were short but sweet hammer on sequences that Kaito was able to hit on with ease. The tune of this song was clearly that of a guitar but had wonderful synthesizers altering it. The mood would shift constantly from calming, to fast tempo, to angry, to rhythmic constantly.

"This song would sound really good in any video game." Konata said.

"Oh yeah, you could definitely put this instrumental track into anything." Kaito acknowledged.

The sound of the song began was becoming more heavy and fast as Kaito began to press on his fret buttons hard. He had to hit shifting chords between the various colors as well as some long series of notes that began to move in erratic patterns. Konata was amazed still by his prowess in the video game, even with his slight mistakes. The song ended in a strange matter, but Kaito felt satisfied nonetheless with his results of 98.

"Good job there Kaito-kun." Konata complemented.

"Thanks."

"Don't think I've seen that kind of game before." Sōjirō said. The two teens turned around to see that the adults had been watching them, but with puzzled looks on their faces.

"You usually only see these games in arcades, but I imported it." Kaito said proudly.

"Oh?" Yui said, showing interest. "You think if these types of games are so interesting, more people would play a real guitar."

Kaito sweatdropped. "Oi…everyone says that."

"Is something happening?" Yutaka asked. Both her and Minami sat near Konata, wondering what the fuss was about.

"This is that one game I was telling you about. The one with all the catchy songs." Her cousin said.

"Oh, Kaito!" Yutaka suddenly pleaded. "Play a really happy song for us!"

"A happy song?" He said curiously.

"I think Yutaka wants you to play your favorite, Yasuhiro-san." Minami said in her monotone voice.

Kaito made a slight chuckle. He then pointed at them all. "Prepare to have your minds blown." While the two first year students made worried faces, the rest of the Izumi family looked on in interest.

The boy stretched his arms and fingers ready to play his melody. He cleared through the screens indicating his high score and stats for that particular run through. Back on the song selection, he changed his direction back towards the primarily setlist one must be forced to play through. He moved down towards the very last tier, to pick his song of choice. The small audience looked in awe as they had no idea what they were prepared for.

The game had loaded. The playing was underway.

Kaito hit the two strong and stressed introductory sustains of the chart, giving him the power he needed. Within mere seconds of the song, a soothing but powerful electric guitar riff hummed throughout the house. Notes shifted constantly from the five colors in fast sequences of hammer-on/pull-offs indicating the sheer difficulty and force from the song. The pace then escalated up and down like a suspension roller coaster. Kaito hit another star power phrase and instantly used it. The chart had climaxed in a series of notes bow, constantly moving from orange to every other note. Even with Kaito missing a few of the notes, the five watchers were in awe. The combination of the star power along with the electrifying guitar lick had just left them speechless. And yet, that was only the intro.

After stopping for a second, the rhythm of the song went to a very relaxing tempo. It was slow, yet seemed to have a mystical force of guitar mastery that made it still as respectable as the heaviest of sounds. The notes arrived in a similar placed but were completely scattered. This particular song was more of a technical challenge than that of pure skill. It gave it a very peaceful feeling while containing a strong melody that melded with environments of the game, such as the wonderful scenery and the crackling of the star power.

The tone would move slowly and fast as it would hit several descending notes or even a few simple power chords. The general theme of the song however would never change; it was like that of a gentle giant. Something loveable, yet strong and respectable. Yutaka felt very pleased by it, as it reminded her of Iwasaki. When Kaito had hit the memorable chorus once again, she began clapping her hands to the rhythm. This made the player smile as games could show how they would bring happiness to all those who saw them.

The song however was coming to its close, as the sound was becoming more laid-back than usual. But with the last few notes, Kaito was barraged with another of sequence of notes that looked like a bow. Luckily, he had the power and skill to get past it, and even nail all of the additional notes afterwards. He finished the song off hitting a long green-yellow-blue hold at the end. The masterpiece had ended as fire incinerated the fret board.

"Wow…" Yutaka and Konata both said.

"Such a beautiful melody…" Sōjirō said, enraptured from the song.

"Kaito! That was super amazing!" Yui shouted.

"Reminded me of the piano songs I play." Minami said to herself.

"That song just never fails for me. It has like a supernatural form of awesomeness that can't be compared to." He admitted. He moved back towards the original setlist. "So…what shall I play next?"

"Oh! Oh!" Yutaka chimed. "How about you let Minami-chan pick the next song?"

"Me?" She said slightly surprised.

"If it reminds you of a piano song, you probably have a really good musical ear."

"I have no objections." Kaito said. He began moving through the list of songs randomly. "Just tell me when you see something you like."

The boy dashed through the songs in a fast speed, but there was little significance of a pointer. Minami didn't seem to be paying attention that much. As she looked, she was looking at the songs in near the middle, as hopefully one of them would be good.

"Stop." She said.

Kaito did the action, but when he stopped he quickly made a grimace. He had landed on a song he was familiar with in the third tier. He despised this song, not only for it's lousy difficulty and repetitive chart. It also had a very unsatisfying feel to it. The lyrics sounded depressing and whinnying, and would even sometimes move up to screaming. This would damper the previous moments that the instrumental song was able to created.

"Iwasaki-san, you may want to choose something else."

"Ok then." She said, not wanting to cause conflict. She pointed not far from that one towards the very last song in the set.

Kaito had remembered this song to be very pleasant. It was a simple chart that had the wonderful strums of a sitar. The lyrics however were very weary of a mourning man. However, was lyrically beautiful and had a sense of meaning. The boy decided to continue on selecting.

"That's an improvement, but doesn't seem to take off negativity…" He wondered to himself as he entertained the Izumi family for the rest of the night.

* * *

Woo...that's it for Chapter 5. Please Review!


	6. Mystery

Hey there readers. The review flow has been slow, but thank goodness we have stats. I can safely say A Second Opinion is my second most read fanfic and I'm very pleased about this. (Even though I'm extremely lazy on all my other stories)

I'm definately taking a risk here with Kaito's development, so I'm very concerned to see how people would react over this sort of things. I usually think it's fun in fanfics to ask questions about the characters, puts some extra humor into the mix.

On a sad note though, I don't think I'll be able to get in my next chapter in on time. Tons of college work next week. But that chapter should have plenty of fun content.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lucky Star or any of it's characters.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Mystery**

"It's this way Kaito-kun!" Konata shouted in affectionate tone.

"Ok! Ok! But do you have to pull on my arm?!" Kaito shouted back.

The two third year students were rushing through the bottom floor of their respected, well-known high school. The blue-haired girl was pulling her friend's sleeve with amazing strength as she was running. Kaito was nervous and excited at the same time to meet more people like Konata. Hopefully for him, things would work for the better after being welcomed the surprising Izumi family. Yet while running through this level of the high school he didn't want to plow over any unsuspecting students.

Konata made a screeching halt reaching the classroom of 1-D. The stop however caused the boy nearly to fall and break something against the hard floor. While he regained his composure, Konata already had the door slid open. He made a strong gulp about to enter into this classroom. If there are more otakus in the school, he wished he took the time to know more friends or tried a few clubs. He had a decent amount of friends, but overall he felt incredibly bland with the society of school. Not to mention, there would be the possibility of the new girls not even liking him.

"Coming Kaito?" Konata said coyly.

"Oh…of course."

There was plenty of time before class had started, so both of them entered briskly. Kaito took this time to sweep the entire populous. He didn't really pay much attention to students from other classes or years. Most of the girls looked quite the same from the ones of his year. Yet with someone like Konata, there was bound to be a few wildcards. He was able to notice Yu-chan in the wave of similarity.

"Oy, Senpai!" Two female voices said from across the room. Both otakus walked towards the voices that called them.

Kaito studied over both of them. One of them was sitting astutely at a desk with a pencil in her hand. She was smaller than him, but not in a genetics-defying manner like Yutaka. There was a pair of large lenses covering her amethyst eyes. She also had incredibly long black hair, so intense that it rivaled Konata's. The other girl was leaning against the wall. She had a blonde mop of hair as well as blue eyes, something very foreign to what Kaito usually sees. In her particular position, he couldn't help but notice her ample chest size. It was similar of to that of Kuroi-sensei's or Cousin Yui. Her height was also peculiarly tall for most women.

Konata pointed to the one in the chair. "Kaito-kun, this is my friend Hiyori."

"It's a pleasure to meet any friend of Senpai's." She said, bowing while still staying in the desk.

"The same." He said back, returning the bow. "Kona-chan here has shown me some of your doujin, and let me say I'm very impressed."

The girl's face shifted from content to absolutely abhorred. From the mere mention of her work, she had turned a sickly blue and began to sweat immensely. Konata still wanted to show that work off to anyone despite what her friend specifically said about it.

"You've looked over my work?" Hiyori said, strangely hoarse.

"Oh yeah. I always find that kind of stuff to be very entertaining. The artists are much freer that way." Kaito deducted.

"Well, that's just wonderful." The girl finished by landing her head flat on the desk. She looked away from the other three, beginning to brood over more people looking over her perverted work. Her soul seemed to seep from her mouth and she began to think shameful thoughts.

"D-Did I do something?" Kaito panicked. "The storytelling was fantastic! And I can see the amount of time you placed in all the posing and detail!"

"Thank you…" Hiyori said, attitude the same but with a higher tone.

"Oh Hiyorin." The other girl said. "Doujins are to be treasured, no matter what kind of message they may send! That's the heart of all written work!"

Kaito placed his hand on his chin. "I see you have a smart mind…" He complemented. "And a great body." He thought.

The blonde looked at him and made a quick blink, forgetting her manners. She bowed to him. "I'm Patricia Martin, good to meet you!" She said cheerfully.

Konata placed her hand on the shoulder of her tall friend. "Patty-chan has taken the time to learn a ton of things about Japanese culture."

"Oh yeah, you are that exchange student from the United States."

"That's right."

Kaito grinned. "Well, if I may." He stepped closer to the girl. "If I ever had to meet a person from the United States, there would be a very important question I would have to ask them."

Patricia felt a tingle go down her spine. She should have known this kind of day would come. That a native would ask her about one of America's traditions or flaws. Or even the possibility they would ask about the politics, social standings or common controversies circling around the country.

"Go ahead…" She said wearily.

"Was the One Piece dubbing as bad as everyone said it was?"

Her heart skipped for a minute and she made large sweat drop. "Lucky question."

He continued on that subject. "They currently have a new dubbing company from what I read, but the first version translated to the United States was incredibly bad. I've been reading on forums they'd have tons of pointless edits and add the most ridiculous voices to the characters. Is it true?"

"Well…" The girl said nervously. She scratched the back of her head. "I'll usually remember any anime that comes my way, but I'd probably remember something bad like that. I must have blocked it from my memory."

"From what I've heard, I'd do the same." He chuckled.

"Any reason why you'd ask Kaito? You seemed too mature to be a big shōnen fan." Konata asked.

"Oh Konata, every man is a shōnen fan. I'm more of concerned on how the United States deals with our anime. We send tons of it over there, but we don't see a lot from them. So I'm just hoping things are represented correctly."

"Well, one of the reasons I got so big in anime is because I was getting bored of the cartoons I'm acquainted to." Patricia commented.

"Hehehe…" Hiyori snickered. Her mood perked up listening to the conversation. "That's why I love drawing. It's a great boredom cure. And I have the opportunity to create the things I want, not what other people want."

Kaito sighed happily. "Ah…this is why I love otakus…" The three girls looked at him gleefully. "I was usually criticized for my massive love of animation. But otakus clearly understand the work, time, and dedication placed in every single piece of art. They are much more important than the so called normal forms of entertainment. We are those people who respect the true beauty and glory of all pieces of art whether they be written or drawn or programmed!"

"Exactly!" The trio said proudly.

"To be honest, I don't think I could see myself outside of being an obsessive fan. I guess I shouldn't regret learning about these kinds of things from my dad."

"Your dad approves of these things?!" Kaito said surprised. "Must be an incredible man…"

"You don't know the half of it." Konata grinned to herself.

As they were having their one-track conversation, the door slid open quietly behind them. Minami wisped into the room walking to her desk. To her convenience she was placed close by Yutaka. Her mint green hair however was quickly noticed from across the room.

"Morning Minami-san!" The three otakus said. Kaito simply waved weakly.

Iwasaki looked back at them sternly. She made a soft wave acknowledging their words.

"I wonder…" Kaito began.

Hiyori looked at the boy. "Something wrong, Kaito?"

"Konata here took me to her house yesterday. And while this was happening Yutaka invited that girl along. Something felt a little off about her."

"Don't worry." Konata dismissed. "She may appear that way on the outside but she truly caring and protective."

"So is she a tsundere?" He asked.

"I wouldn't say a tsundere would fit her personality." Patricia said.

"Hard to tell." Hiyori began to think. "Minami-san doesn't show the necessary emotion to be one of those characters, though the signs are very similar." She slumped in her chair. "But…she doesn't seem to want to hang out with us. She spends all of her time with Yu-chan."

"That's true." The blonde said, placing her face on the same level.

Kaito sensed their depression. He had to act. "Well, now that I've learned about you two, I think you won't have to worry about being alone."

The first year students smiled from the comment. Konata had to make a statement from it.

"Oho. I see Kaito-kun is really playful today."

He made a blush from it. "Well…female otakus are a rarity. You have to nurture the friendship."

The meganekko returned to the previous conversation. "I don't think you have anything to worry about Minami."

"I guess." Kaito put his finger on his lip at that moment. "However, there's something about her that I don't really understand."

"What's that?" Izumi questioned.

"Yutaka did nothing but complement her, so she has to be talented or kind. What I don't get is why she was so quiet and unemotional the entire time she was there."

As the girls were about to say something, they were blank. They were a bit perplexed over that particular response. No one had ever thought of why Minami acted the way she did. Perhaps it was because Yutaka was so cheerful around her, that they completely ignored that thought. People naturally tend to be shy. Yet Iwasaki seemed to be an entire level above it. She was good at many things, had friends and lived in a very nice section of the Tokyo Metropolis. So why the unusual silence?

"Oh boy…I'm not going to get an answer." The male otaku assumed.

* * *

Lunch time had arrived and Kaito had mixed feelings. He was happy meeting Konata's two friends but at the same time he couldn't shake off that other girl from his mind. His curiosity was rocking constantly trying to figure out what made Iwasaki act the way she does. He didn't think girls who were commonly that quiet existed in real life. When he thought about characters depicted that way, he would usually think of the hidden secrets they contained.

But he was happy for a secondary reason. As he sat around his four female friends, he took the bento out of his bag. He was shaking with anticipation as he opened the top. Inside the box was one of his favorite foods, chicken katsu-sando. There were four sandwiches inside, each flavoring the meat with pieces of cabbage and karashi. He began to happily gnaw away at one of the sandwiches, ignoring the girls.

"So I've been thinking of ways to advertise for the cosplay café, what are some good suggestions?" Konata asked.

"You have any problems with the job Kona-chan?" Tsukasa asked.

"Nah, it's not that. The manager is just looking for a way to reach out for more customers."

"Have you tried using flyers?" Miyuki asked.

"Yeah, but flyers aren't as popular nowadays."

"Don't most underground things like this spread through word of mouth?" Kagami said.

"We've been gaining popularity in Akihabara, yet not much in the other major areas. Some people are just playing us off as just another cosplay café..."

"Like the boys really care…" Kagami thought.

"Can't you advertise these things on the internet?" Tsukasa suggested.

"No website." Konata said.

"Can you perform special deals or do you make special days?"

"We do that already."

Konata sighed over her thoughts. "Patty-chan has suggested that we try a more risky approach, and try direct advertising during the next Comiket."

This sparked Kaito's interested, as he reached for another sandwich. "Martin-san works at your café?"

"Yeah, me and her are probably the most known members."

"Now I have even more reason to go." Kaito thought as he took a large bite.

"Do you mind doing something like that?" Tsukasa wondered.

"Of course not, I'll probably be going there anyway. And there are tons of cosplayers, so I'd blend in perfectly."

"Perhaps it's a good thing you lack shame…" Kagami said.

"Oh yeah, while we are talking about those students, do any of you know something about that Iwasaki girl?" Kaito asked, swallowing down the second piece.

"Kaito-kun's been curious over this kind of thing all morning, he must think about women a lot."

"All men do." He said quickly. "And I'm sure all girls do them same for us men."

"I'm more concerned over my grades to care for boys…" The younger Hiiragi twin thought. "Minami-chan is a good person, even if she might appear creepy."

"You may not know this Yasuhiro-san." Miyuki began. "But Minami-san actually lives across the street from me. Like myself, she's very financially secure. She's a much respected part of the community and she also praised by many of the students at the school. My mom has also seen a few times of her being very attached to her pet dog."

"So I guess you've known her for a long time." Kaito said, right after taking a chomp on a new piece of chicken.

"That's right."

"I'm more of concerned with her…psychologically."

Miyuki made an interested motion. "Eh?"

"When I went to Kona-chan's house, she was there too. Her cousin Yutaka kept praising her over her intelligence and ability, but it seemed as if she was…embarrassed over it."

"Lots of people can get embarrassed over those sorts of things." Kagami said.

"That is true. However, she was kind of like a robot. Didn't show any emotional response to anything that night. And I was playing games."

"Minami-chan is a very nice person Kaito." Tsukasa reassured. "I adore her amazing skills!"

Konata scratched her face and pondered. "I can see where he is coming from. Whenever you play dating sim games, there's something peculiar about the quiet girls. Usually something bad happens no matter how you go through the story."

Kaito washed down his throat with some bottled tea. "It feels a bit strange though she plays this all off as a not a big deal. You think she might be depressed?"

"Oy, Yasuhiro. Don't you think you might be getting into this a bit too much?" Kagami said defensively.

"Minami-san was a very happy girl when she was growing up." Miyuki said.

"What does she have to be sad about?" Tsukasa asked.

"Nothing off the top of my head…" Kaito wondered, grabbing from his box again.

"While Minami is good at a lot of things she does and is bonded with Yu-chan, I do know one of her fatal flaws."

"What's that?"

"She doesn't have boobs." Konata said quite pleased with herself.

"…uh…well…" Miyuki stammered, not thinking of that as a possible response.

"That's understandable." Kaito said. "When you introduced me to her, I did see her touching herself."

"WHAT?!" Kagami shouted, slamming her drink on the desk. "You pervert! Why were you staring at her?!"

"She did it in front of me." He dismissed.

"I've saw her do it. She does it in public a lot to." Konata agreed.

"Oh jeez." Kagami mumbled, putting her hand on her forehead.

"I think some people are just naturally accustomed to the way the act. Usually people will see anything unusual they do as something completely normal to themselves. That's why I like to go to bed so early." Miyuki said.

"Well, there are a lot of things you can theorize." Kaito said. "But, it's time's like this I'm glad I have a laptop."

"Why's that?" Tsukasa asked.

"This way I can perform all the research I want. Much faster and without repercussions." He said confidently.

"Persistent eh?" Konata said. Kaito nodded.

"Perhaps I shouldn't get into this."

"Either way, I'm pretty happy to meet all of your friends, Konata." Kaito said. At that moment, he reached into his bento. But after making a quick realization, he slumped.

"Something wrong Kaito-san?" Tsukasa asked.

"You ever notice…that when you have something you really like…you realize it's gone before you can truly enjoy it?"

* * *

Now, don't worry Minami fans. I'm sure you will enjoy the outcome of this situation, it won't end like the way you may think. It's just kind of a trend you have to wonder about some characters. It happens a lot in animation.

Please Review!


	7. Confirmation

Hey everyone, sorry I was late today. College work can be so freaking irritating. I'm a little bit shaky on this chapter since I feel this might be a big decision making chapter for you readers. Not to mention, I feel like the last scene was a bit rushed and might seem a little bit confusing.

On another note, you'll notice two continunity errors with this chapter in particular, but I don't want you to get serious about them. The first one is the mention of Comiket, even though with the anime, they are near the end of the of one particular year and I know when Comiket usually takes place. Lucky Star however is still a thriving manga with continuing plots based around the school. So I think the series is doing the wise decision of having time stand still. So I do know about this. Even though I am mentioning Comiket, I feel it can be altered because it is an event. And it is not something set in stone such as a holiday like Christmas or Valentine's Day.

The second is something I've noticed throughout the show...do the girls take the bus or the train to school? I'm confused cause it feels like they are taking both, and they have a decent number of scenes inside vechicles. I kind of alternatve between them both because we see them use both modes of transportation, but if anyone can verify this for me, I'd be greatful.

Disclaimer: I don't Lucky Star or any of it's characters.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Confirmation**

Nearly every morning since their encounter, Kaito had been taking the bus ride with Konata, Kagami, and Tsukasa. They would always sit in the very back so all five of them wouldn't be separated. Both otakus were incredibly bored though, being in front of illuminated screens all day. Kaito leaned backward and gazed at the moving terrain outside. The slight bumpiness of the ride with the cold metal touching his skin nearly made him daze off.

"Hey Kaito-kun…" Konata said, getting closer to the boy.

"Huh?!" Kaito went, the touch activating all of his senses.

The blue-haired girl looked around all of her friends. Her cousin was in the middle of the discussion with the twins to notice anything. It was the perfect timing.

"You mind if I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead." Kaito said with a cracking in his voice.

She slowly began twiddling her thumbs. "I was wondering about something. Comiket is coming in a few weeks; do you want to come along?"

Those words instantly bolted through his brain. It was a culmination of all things he had a deep admiration for. It was also a great way to see people outside of their anonymous masks on the Internet. He never really took the time to soak in the true flavor of otaku culture, so the choice for him was obvious.

"Of course go with you Kona-chan." He said confidently. "Not sure why you think I'd say no."

"Well I know someone like you would come." She looked over to the other three. "I just haven't had such luck in the past…"

"I know how you feel. Sometimes things are just better if you have friends to come along with. It makes the experience much richer."

"I've been used to that for so long, so I can't see myself doing something like Comiket alone." Konata said nostalgically.

Kaito had a quick burst of thought. "What about Patricia-san and Hiyori-san? Will they be going?"

"Patty-chan is definitely going. Hiyorin has been before, but I think you should go confirm with them before lunch. I would, but I still need to ask Kagamin and possibly get some of her homework to copy."

"I will." Kaito said happily. But as he said that, his mood subsided. "Makes me now wish Comiket wasn't so far away."

"Well, we can do something to pass the time."

Kaito looked over to see if there was anything to talk about. If he were to talk about games, he'd just anticipate this all the more. However, something caught his interest as he was looking over the Hiiragi twins.

"Hey, I have an idea." Kaito suggested.

"What's that?"

"How about we make a bet for today?"

"I'm listening." She said coyly.

"The loser has to cosplay during Comiket."

"O-ho…sounds fun. What are we going to bet over?"

"How do I make this fun…?" Kaito thought. He then saw a yellow piece of cloth near lavender hair. "Tsukasa is clumsy, right?"

"Oh yeah."

"How about we bet over how many times she falls down today? If she falls three times, I win."

Konata felt a bit surprised over that statement. "Even though I don't feel like I should bet against my friends, I can't pass this up. Kaito probably looks nice in a costume. Not to mention, the odds are in my favor because I don't think Tsukasa could fall that many times in just one day." She thought.

"You have a deal, Kaito."

The two shook hands and the bus stopped.

"Time for school." Kagami said. She moved first as everyone followed her to the door. As they exited, Tsukasa didn't take the step from bus to ground into focus.

"Whoa!" She screamed, as she had lost her balanced and fell to the ground. "Owwie."

"Tsukasa!? Are you ok?!" Kagami said.

"No way." Konata thought.

"That's one point me…" Kaito grinned.

* * *

The boy for once had all of thoughts together, so he immediately knew what to do as he walked again through the first year hall. He opened the door to 1-D ready to talk to his fellow otakus. He quickly spotted their blonde and black hair from the crowd.

"How do you think this pose looks?" Hiyori asked, pointing at her sketchbook.

"You are really improving Hiyorin!" Patricia said observing the drawing. "Good thing too."

"Good morning you two." Kaito greeted.

"Hey there!" The two of them said.

"Kona-chan told me that Comiket was going to be in a few weeks at I could go." He looked at the girl with glasses. "Are you going to go Hiyori-san?"

"Oh, better than that." She confirmed. "I'll be selling some of my work there."

"Nice…I bet you can make a lot of money off that."

"I'm going to have to go, cause of work." Patricia said. "However, it'll be my first time, so I'm a little nervous."

"Me too." Kaito said.

"Aw, you two have nothing to worry about. Konata-sempai and I are veterans so we can tell you everything when you go."

"I hope its fun…" Kaito hoped.

The door opened again, but to reveal a tiny, salmon-haired girl approaching the students.

"Good morning Tamura-san, Patty-chan, Yasuhiro-san."

"Hello Yu-chan." Hiyori said cheerfully.

"Did you guys have any trouble with last night's homework?"

"It was a real doozy…" Patricia said, irritated.

"Minami-chan understood it pretty well, maybe you should ask her." Hiyori pointed out.

"Ok!" She said, hearing those particular words. She scrambled over to Minami who was sitting quietly at her desk.

"Minami-chan!" She said in a needy fashion.

The girl lazily turned her head. "Oh. Good morning Yutaka-san." She said dully.

Yutaka took that moment to politely bow, as she had to ask a serious question. "Can you show me how to do the math homework?"

"Sure."

Two of the otakus were having their own conversation.

"I'm curious over the amount of selection of doujin will be at Comiket." Kaito began. "There's all that manga, but I heard there's events and people also selling other various items like figurines and cards."

"There will be tons." Patricia said. "However, you do have to keep an eye open over new releases. Not to mention they will be covering things you can't even sell in regular stores."

"Patty-chan, Kaito-sempai." Hiyori said in a strangely harsh voice. "Quiet and keep watch." She had a pencil and her sketchbook in hand.

"Hmm?" The two pondered. The mangaka was gazing at her non-otaku friends who were in near close contact with each other. Kaito and Patricia began to watch as well.

"So you see…" Minami was finishing up. "If you move the number here, x equals 6."

"Wow." Yutaka said. "Minami-chan you are so amazing at these, no wonder your grades are so high!"

"It's nothing really." She denounced. "I read a lot, so I suppose I tend to remember many things."

"I'm glad I can rely on you for these kinds of things." Yutaka happily said.

The three otakus began conjuring thoughts…

* * *

"Minami-chan…I'm in awe of your skills." Yutaka said. 

"Yutaka-san, you always appreciate everything I do." She retorted.

"Everyone should treasure a talented individual like yourself."

"Not everyone does…" The androgynous girl said. "But you Yutaka. You make me feel so confident and strong. I thank you for that."

The short girl came close towards her friend's face.

"Minami-chan…"

"Yutaka-chan…"

* * *

Hiyori felt incredibly strained from had transpired. "Gah, I shouldn't think such impure thoughts about my friends!"

Patricia had the same empathy. "Why must my brain play these tricks?!"

Kaito however, was more curious on the subject. "Well this is interesting."

The two look stunned at him. "What?!"

"Well if I may. If you remember, I was curious over why Iwasaki acted the way she did, right?" The two nodded. "I did some research and made a few theories over it. One of the theories is that she could possibly have a big secret."

Hiyori did a double take. "You don't think…"

Kaito interjected. "Not really. However this could be the answer I was looking for."

"I don't know." Patricia said worried. "It's not right to make these fantasies about them."

Hiyori looked down angrily at her work. "Why am I even drawing these kinds of things!? I shouldn't be making a profit over these things! These _evil_ things using my friends as the source."

"Now stop right there." Kaito said bluntly.

This got the two otakus attention.

"Kaito-san."

"You two shouldn't be worrying over these sorts of things. People think over these sorts and make those assumptions all the time. You are only human; don't look down on yourselves for being curious."

"But isn't it strange?" Hiyori said.

"Not at all. It's these sorts of thoughts that keep life interesting! Besides Hiyori-san. Without those so called evil thoughts, you would be able to make the beautiful artwork you create now."

Hiyori blushed and scratched her head from the praise. "That's true."

"I must say Kaito-san." Patricia said impressed. "You do seem to know a lot about these sorts of things."

"This is yuri of course. All men think about yuri."

"Really?" Hiyori said curiously. "So why didn't you feel the same way as us? You've had experience thinking these sorts of things before?"

Kaito sighed. "It's not that."

The girls were confused from that statement. Kaito glanced over at Yutaka and Minami.

"Just…look at them. They don't really have the kind of features to be a great couple for the men. It's just a severe lack of everything all around."

But as Kaito said that, he began to think of new thoughts. These new thoughts changed his cool, calm façade to a steaming red.

"Now, a cute pair of fujoshi like you two…" He said pointing at the girls making a devious smile.

The two looked at him completely thrown off guard. "Us?"

He couldn't say the next phrase aloud. "That's something I'd really want."

* * *

Lunch time had started for a good ten minutes, but the people at one particular table were already blank in expression. Nothing interesting had happened that day other than what happened at the bus. Kaito was busy with his own devious thoughts to care about anything. Konata was trying to think of things to say, already finishing her cornet. Kagami and Miyuki were discussing about class presidential duties. The girl felt disheartened not being able to talk. She had to reach for attention.

"Kaito?" She said.

Kaito only had a single word in his head at the time. "Want."

"Kaito?"

"Want."

"Kaito!" She ordered, pulling the sleeve of his uniform. His train of thought derailed actually listening to Konata's voice. He didn't even notice Tsukasa had left for the bathroom.

"Oh, what?"

"I was wondering…" She said, having the need to start a conversation. "Did you ever finish that study on Minami-san?"

Kaito regained some of his memory, after the other ideas were removed from his head. "Oh yeah, actually I have plenty of my thoughts printed out."

He reached from his bag to pull out a few sheets of paper. The girls could feel his pride as he slapped the pages on the desk. Kagami and Miyuki made sweat drops from his work.

"He actually went through with it..." They thought.

Kaito made a cough from the statements he was about to make. "Now concerning over Iwasaki Minami, I had taken into consideration the various traits about her personality and actions. There are some very basic facts to go over. Note how through her voice and speech that she has very little emotion in the various things she does. Yet she tends to excel in nearly everything she can do."

"Mmhmm." Kagami nodded with chopsticks in her mouth.

"She doesn't seem to have much confidence in things she does despite the fact about how good she is or that praise she receives. It brings up the question on how she feels. Is she embarrassed? Can she handle the pressure? Is she insecure about her talent?"

Miyuki decided to act in her neighbor's defense. "People can feel differently about their talent. While others are very proud, others can feel a bit more defensive. Possibly even ashamed. However, I don't believe this would apply to Minami-san."

"That's been the main confusing thing for me." Kaito said tensely. "Why would someone who has such a happy and successful life act that way?"

"Kaito-san, I can believe how you feel." Kagami said. "But you need to drop this."

"But that made me think…is it beyond her psychological control?"

All three of the girls showed interest from the statement.

"I have composed five different but possible theories explaining why Iwasaki could act the way she does."

"You've already researched this?" Kagami asked in a disappointed tone.

"Actually Kaito…" Konata admitted. "I'm a little bit curious on why Minami would act that way. Sometimes I look at Yu-chan and wonder. Why my cousin is small, sickly, and nervous and can be so happy. And oppositely, how Minami can be tall, talented and rich yet act so empty. I think Yu-chan has actually complemented her more than herself."

"Sheesh, Konata." Kagami thought. "Showing true opinions, eh?"

"Well, I can go over the theories if you want." Kaito offered.

"Go ahead Yasuhiro-san." Miyuki said. "There are some things you have to wonder when you place this much thought in it."

Kaito brought one of the papers to his face. "Ok then. My first theory suggests that maybe Minami could have suffered through a childhood trauma. Something that mentally scarred her that makes her act a certain way."

"That's believable." Konata said. "I've heard great news about a popular American show is about a forensic analyst who lives by night as a serial killer for justice. He doesn't question his actions or the way he lives, but that's because of his rollercoaster like childhood where he had to fight his various urges."

"Not sure if that principal really applies Konata." Kagami said.

She shrugged instantly. "It kind of makes sense."

"Sorry about this, but you are wrong Yasuhiro-san." Miyuki dismissed. "I've lived next to her as long as I've remember. If she would have experienced anything traumatic, I would know or it would have appeared as a news story."

"Fair enough Miyuki-san." Kaito said. He sifted through to his second paper. "The second theory states that should could have a type of mental disorder that keeps her from being social."

The twin-tailed girl scratched her head. "Wouldn't she be taking medication for that sort of thing?"

"It can sometimes." The boy said. "However, there are a ton of psychological problems like this. Some can be misdiagnosed or can purely be psychological and are not affected by the use of pills. What's amazing is the list of possibilities."

"Like what?" The meganekko asked.

"There are things like social anxiety or a social phobia that keep her from opening up to the public. She may have rejected society or communication with other people. Students from her school would tell me that she wouldn't talk to people and she would do silent/personal activities such as reading. The most curious however possibility is that she may have a rare disorder known as selective mutism."

"Why's that Kaito-kun?"

"People with this particular problem can speak normally but have trouble speaking in public. Iwasaki in shows many of the symptoms. Things like blank facial expression, difficulty in show emotion, anxiety over normal situations, and a stiff body movement are all signs."

"Why is this interesting?" Kagami asked.

"Probably because of its rarity. The only noted people with this disorder were famous celebrities and a mass murderer."

They all felt a shockwave from that statement. No way would Minami be capable of such evil thoughts.

Konata had trouble making a response. "Well Kaito…she has a ton of money so if she had any type of mental illness, she would either be on medication or would know about this. But considering how she's so nice to Yu-chan that can't be the case."

"Sounds right." Miyuki said.

"What has he been thinking?" Kagami's mind screamed.

"I didn't think it was." Kaito dismissed. "Now, my third theory seems the most believable. She has a dirty little secret that she had to cover up. Her social being depends on it!"

The blue-haired girl perked up. "Now that would make sense." She had read Hiyori's art; she had an idea or two.

"I think people generally have secrets to hide." Kagami said. "I don't think they are life threatening."

"Sometimes they are." Konata rebutted. "If some secrets were revealed, the fabric of society could completely unravel!"

"After personally seeing something earlier today, I'm leaning on that theory the most." Kaito said.

"What is it?" Miyuki asked curiously.

"Well…" The otaku scratched his face. "I'm not one-hundred percent sure if that might be true. But if I even utter this secret people will start make assumptions."

"You tell us all this and when it comes to a secret, you are quiet?" Kagami questioned. She then made a sigh. "You are a strange one Yasuhiro."

"So what are the other theories Kaito-san?" The pink-haired girl asked. "You said there were five."

"Oh, they aren't important. They are more physical than anything."

"What are they?" Konata inquired with a cat smile.

"The other theories were simple. She's either an alien or a man in disguise."

Kagami nearly spit out the rice she was eating. He had no shame in the quickness of his speaking. "WHAT?!"

The other two giggled at the theories.

"How absurd." Miyuki said. "But, my mom has a few memories of Minami doing strange things."

"You know…" Konata began to think. "The similarities between Minami and Nagato are astonishing. Both are very intelligent who love to do nothing but read books. They also have a severe lack of emotion to care about human life forms and other people. But in rare occasions, they may have an obsession over one person. Like her fondness of Yutaka. Yes, the concept of Minami being from out of this world is well within range."

"I don't think you can correlate everything to an anime Konata." Kagami said bitterly. She pointed sharply at Kaito. "And why would you even think she would be a man!? We have our measurements and Miyuki-san would easily know who she was!"

"Like I said, it was physical." Kaito said in his defense. "She's fairly flat all around, which is quite normal for men. Not to mention she wouldn't talk to people and act antisocial so people wouldn't be able to hear what she truly sounds like. It's very possible to hide all that. People have tried it before."

"Oy, glad that's the end of it." Kagami said.

From the other side of the room, Tsukasa came back from the bathroom. Perhaps it was a good thing she didn't have to listen to Kaito's strange theories. The intense psychological thought might make her start questioning her own existence. There was little time left for lunch, so she had to run to her desk in order to finish her bento. But doing so would cause her leg to get caught by one of the desk legs.

"Whoa!" She said as she hit the floor once again. This caught the attention of everyone in the room.

"Tsukasa!" Miyuki and Kagami rushed to her aid.

"Son of a…" Konata thought. Kaito smiled evilly.

* * *

At the end of the school the third year students were all waiting in anticipation. Even with the earlier actions of the day, Kaito had a bleak future of finding a costume to wear. They had to wait on Yutaka and Minami, who had began riding along with them at every possibility. The two otakus however still had their minds set on the bet and the various theories of the mint-haired girl.

"Ready to give up, Kaito-kun?" Konata taunted.

"It's not over until it's over." He warned.

Tsukasa turned her head. "Hmm? What isn't over?" She asked innocently.

"Oh, um, I've just be thinking about a gaming competition I've been having with Konata." He lied.

"You play games competitively Kaito-san?" Miyuki asked.

"I always do." He said confidently. "However, I've never really had a chance to go to an actual sanctioned tournament. Most of them are very underground or in extremely populated parts of the country."

"It's a good thing we don't play seriously, eh Kaito?" Konata said.

"Yeah."

"It does make me wonder though." Konata pondered. "I wonder if there are underground rackets of the various Wii and PS2 games. Big money is placed on the line with the leaders of organized crime creating the whole tournament. If you lose, you will lose either your diginity or your thumbs."

"It's best not to think those kinds of things exist." Kagami said.

"Well I know those things exist with casinos and such." Kaito assumed. "You think they same applies for games such as Mahjong?"

"If it does, I'm going to have to learn how to play." The smallest of the group said.

"Konata-san, I can teach you how to play Mahjong. I've learned how to play it online."

Kagami had to think about the chain of events. "Strange how the discussion of underground and dangerous activities lead to wanting to play a social game." She made a small smile. "I suppose the otaku's obsession can lead to some positives."

The group was then surprised from the arrival of the first year students.

"Sorry we're late." Yutaka apologized.

"It's fine Yu-chan." Tsukasa said.

The seven of them walked up the flights of stairs to the respected trains. Kaito, Konata, Kagami, Tsukasa and Yutaka were taking the outbound train, while Miyuki and Minami were taking the inbound train. But reaching the final stair, they were hit with an annoying occurrence. A cold wind blew through the uncovered area of the station. Even with their thick coats on, the frigid temperature felt bad on their skin.

"Stupid weather…" Konata said.

"It's so cold." Yutaka shivered.

"Are you ok?" Minami said concerned. She bent her knees down on her friend's level. "Do you have a cold?"

"I'll be fine Minami-chan." She said.

"I'm going to the train. Don't want to deal with another one of those." A panicked Tsukasa said.

But on the first step she made, her left foot tilted throwing off her steps. Her acceleration increased as she had to take control of her other foot to stay still. But after several steps she was able to make a strong stop. She gave a sign of relief.

Kagami smiled. "Glad you didn't fall over again Tsukasa."

"Hehe, didn't want to make you worry about me Onee-chan."

"Curses!" Kaito swore.

"Can't wait to see you at Comiket in your pretty costume, Kaito-kun." Konata smirked.

Everyone then went to their respected trains. But as the door was about to shut on them, Kaito noticed Yutaka furiously waving to her silent friend. She made delightful motions knowing she was going to see her again tomorrow. But looking at the people taking the inbound train goers, he noticed something very out of the ordinary. While Miyuki was acting in her kind attitude, he could see Iwasaki waving back gently. With the very faintest smile forming on her face.

The trains moved and Kaito's attitude shifted. He smiled at his final conclusion: "Iwasaki Minami, analysis complete. Theory three is well in range."

* * *

That was a tough chapter...but, I'm glad I'm passed it. I hope the ending will keep you Minami fans to continue reading. Feel free to criticize over this chapter since I didn't have a lot of time to process everything. Points to any of you who can name some of the references made.

Please Review!


	8. Mental Process

Hey people. Sorry for being a little late, but it was hard to come up with some of the ideas for this chapter. The first scene turned out to be much different than I actually expected. I had to really rush writing this chapter, so I feel like a it's lacking in a few departments. But I do hope this does keep all of you readers entertained. On another note, Punk, you are right. Glad to know more gamers are reading the story. I want to keep the Harmonix games specifically a recurring factor in the story.

Disclaimer: Kagami Yoshimizu owns Lucky Star and all of it's epicness.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Mental Process**

The sound of shuffling footsteps echoed through out the mystical Moryashi forest. Aching skin pushed away the over abundant foliage of the terrain. Five weary travelers were shut down mentally and physically from their recently completed trials of might. The waves of monsters and mind games had worn down the party's will to the bone. Even this simple trek through the forest seemed like an intolerable strain to their muscles. They didn't care though, as all they needed was to find a nice, comfortable place to sleep.

"Wow…I didn't think that labyrinth would last so long." Tsukasa whined. Her eyes closed tightly as she wrapped her arms around her priestly robes. The cold had quickly gotten to her, with her drooping ears and her tail confined within her clothes.

"I don't care if there might be treasure down there, we won't do that again." Kagami said sternly. She could handle the cold unlike her sister, even while wearing less clothing. Her shimmering white vest was wrapped snuggly around her body. She also had a small, brown furry coat covering her arms.

"Hmmf." Konata grunted. "You should thank me for suggesting that cave. That's how you got that cute little hat." She pointed out to her friend. Nestled between her long ears was a curvy red chapeau with a feather sticking out of the middle of it.

"You'd of taken it, but that would interfere with your boring, black outfit." She quipped. The red would clash with her intricate ninja garb. It was made of a black velvet cloth but filled with pieces of chain and metal to give her body the proper protection. But even with her suit, her fox ears and tail were quite visible.

"We've dealt with enough hardships for today. Let's just find a town to rest in." Miyuki said, trying to pacify her group. However, she couldn't really represent everyone. Her regally decorated armor and skirt kept her safer from enemies and the harsh weather than the others.

"Let's save the complaining for later." Kaito stressed. "My wings are killing me." As he stated that, he stretched his large, black wings to each side. His loose gi and matching hakama supported his appendages well. "I've already had a bad enough day."

Konata grinned from his misfortune. "Oh, so your hair was turned white. It could be worse. In fact, I consider it an upgrade."

He glared back at her. "You wouldn't say the same if your hair turned white. Or if it all fell out."

She crumbled at the possibility. "Don't joke about that Kaito-kun!"

The other three snickered over their squabble. It made the walk through the forest much more bearable. Lucky for them, the sun was still hanging in the sky. They didn't have worry about any sudden attacks from monsters or unseen pitfalls. Not to mention, the heavily guarded town was well within their vision. The dark and confusing underground maze had offset their sense of time and direction. Things would finally become peaceful for the wearying party. Passing through the rough terrain, the group had to walk by one last peaceful meadow. It was a standard for all olden towns to be built around calming areas.

The town they entered was quite flourishing. Stone was used everywhere from the bumpy ground they walked on to the towering buildings all around them. It was occupied with every single piece of infrastructure needed. Along with the normality though, there were several specialty shops for every type of person. But as the group just entered the town, their wish was a few steps away.

In front of them was the most glorious piece of architecture they ever seen. It was a two-story, well polished, white inn/tavern. It had a very welcoming aesthetic from its strong construction and the pleasing, forestry related decorations. Konata's party walked into its wide and opening doors. However, it had a relatively short roof. Kaito had to bend down as he passed through, as well as Miyuki. She didn't want to get her horns stuck upon entry.

"Welcome!" A cheery voice created them. The group looked across the room to see a little girl barely taller than the bar counter. Her squirrel ears and tail made her easier to see. "Would like anything to drink?"

"Beer!" Kaito and Konata chanted.

"Can they even do that?" Kagami questioned.

"I'll have a milk tea please." Miyuki requested.

"Me too!" Tsukasa said.

The barmaid quickly went to work making their drinks. The five of them sat at a nearby table and decided to talk about new plans.

"This place is great…" Konata said, leaning her back against the cushioned chair.

"To think about the many times we've rested here." Tsukasa said.

"Where do you think we'll go afterwards?" Kaito wondered.

"You are up for another exploration Kaito-san?" Miyuki asked.

"Of course. That's what we do in this kind of world, right?"

"Hey, you shouldn't be so eager about these kinds of things." Kagami warned. "I don't want to deal with that kind labyrinth anytime soon."

"Oh, you should have stayed in the mage school Kagami." Kaito joked.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"For a treasure hunter you don't seem to understand the danger of the trade. And considering you have that lovely hat…"

Kagami simply huffed and held her chapeau tightly.

"Don't worry Onee-chan." Tsukasa comforted her. "I praise you for becoming something different than a priestess. You are still a great treasure hunter."

"Thank you Tsukasa."

"However…" Konata quipped. "Being a red mage fits in perfectly with your tsundere personality."

"Enough with that!"

Miyuki decided to bring up a new subject. "What made you want to stick with that kind of class anyway?"

"I was taught that survival was the most important thing in the world. So I wanted to be something that could basically do everything." Kagami said.

"I took a more professional route." The blue-haired girl said. "Being a fox and a ninja works perfectly. I can nearly dodge everything!"

"That's where your size comes into play." Kagami grinned. Konata made a grimace.

"My choice was based more on fun. I wanted to be a fighter, but something that wasn't completely boring. And since I can fly, it means I can swoop down and kick people in the back of the head." Everyone sweatdropped from the comment. "Miyuki-san, why'd you become a knight? You don't seem like the damaging type. Especially when those bats attacked us and you were swinging around your sword like crazy."

Miyuki quickly responded to that. "I wanted to be a job that could defend people. I wanted to be a paladin, but I had to become something else first. And Konata-san suggested something like this would be perfect for me."

Konata smiled as she began to think. "I thought her figure would be perfect for a fighter class, but oh well. She's still cute in all that armor…"

"Here are your drinks." Yutaka said as she placed a circular tray on the table with two glass steins of beer and three cups of hot tea. Everyone took their respective drinks greedily for the healing taste. As Yutaka took the tray back up, Konata pulled out a sack of silver coins and placed it back on the table.

"Here's your money Yu-chan."

"No thank you. It's a pleasure to serve Onee-chan and her friends."

As she tended back to her bar, the group drank deeply into their cups. The tea and beer immediately revitalized them. Their health had hit the natural one hundred percent once they took a sip. From the heat, Miyuki and the Hiiragi twins placed the cups down. But Konata and Kaito were half way down into the steins as they stopped drinking. All of them sighed contently. The ninja made a slight hic from the beverage.

"You should be drinking that Kona-chan." The younger sister said worryingly.

"Beer is the drink of the common man as well as the soul. Don't you agree Kaito?"

Kaito didn't respond.

"Kaito-san?" Kagami asked.

Again, he didn't respond. But the tsundere was able to see why. His eyes were completely wired to what was happening across the room. The four girls turned their heads.

On the other side of the room was a stage with two girls on it. One was sitting to the side with a book and an ink quill in her hand. She was diligently moving her head up and down, focusing on the other girl and her book. Her face head was holding a set of glasses, as well as square academic cap resting between her raccoon ears. She was also wearing a long, puffy brown coat, at the same length of her raven hair. But Kaito wasn't looking at her.

In the middle of the stage was a blonde haired girl in a very unique outfit. It was incredibly frilly and lacy, yet showed off a decent amount of her body. Embroidering around the chest, hips, and elbows were extending pieces of red silk, just like roses. Every other piece of the outfit was covered in black with zigzag patterns around her limbs. She stood in elegant pose, bending her legs and arms delicately. But what also intrigued Kaito were her animal attachments. She had burnt orange ears and tail, but with white on each tip. Her species was indeterminable. She could be a fox or coyote or even a wolf.

Konata made a coy smile from her friend's stares. "Hehe, having fun staring at Hiyorin and Patty-chan?"

The winged man panicked. "What? Oh no it's just that…I was thinking we get some more members for our party."

"Hmm?" The other members wondered.

"Well, you know how they say the more the merrier. Not to mention, we could use more people if we have to deal with another area like earlier. And dancers and scholars are incredibly versatile."

"Interesting idea, should we ask Konata-san about this? She knows more about these kinds of things." Miyuki inquired

But as the knight said that, they noticed that the group's little fox was away from the table.

"You guys want to join a party?" Konata asked, suddenly near the stage.

"Sure!" They said enthusiastically.

Kagami was quickly irritated. "You couldn't have consulted us first!?"

After inviting the useful ladies to the party, the diverse group began strolling outwards to the town. Everyone was greatly revitalized even being in the tavern for a short period of time. At that time, it felt like they were at peace.

"Feels good to have more people helping us out." Kaito said confidently.

"I'm just happy that I get to help out someone with such bishonen hair!" Patricia said happily, rubbing her hand in Kaito's white hair. Kaito felt disgruntled from it while Hiyori and Konata chuckled over the statement.

"I think it's nice to be able to travel with Senpai. You can only get so much inspiration from being in a town for so long."

As the otakus were happily talking, the normal ones felt a bit distraught over something. This whole group situation felt incredibly off. Tsukasa however, just felt this aura.

"Something wrong Onee-chan?"

"I just feel like something is wrong here." Kagami said. The group stopped.

"I can understand how you feel Kagamin." Konata piped in. "Usually in fantasy stuff like this, four or five people are in a party. Sometimes even six or three. But never have I thought of seven different classes in one group."

"It isn't…" Kagami paused for a second. She didn't want to admit the true reason. "Yeah, I've been noticing that about games."

"Usually if that would happen, any additional party member would sit to the side." Hiyori deduced.

"Wouldn't work here. We wouldn't just sit back and allow other people to fight for their lives." Kaito said.

"So is someone voted out?" Tsukasa said curiously.

"Hmm…" Konata began to think intensely.

"Tsukasa heals, so she's irreplaceable. Kagami, Hiyori and Patty can practically do anything with their types of jobs. I guess it comes down to me, Kaito and Miyuki. But I take most of the aggression from monsters anyway and they have a hard time hitting me. But I couldn't boot them out. Miyuki-san is so wonderful and smart. Yet Kaito has been incredible to me."

"I vote we get rid of Kaito." Kagami said dryly.

"What?!" He reacted. "I've been covering you since day one Kagami! You need a heavy hitter with high hit points to keep you featherweights safe!"

"Well I can't be alone here…" The mage turned to her friends. Everyone else was clearly unsure on the matter. Be it personal conflict or inexperience.

Kaito sighed being the only identified target. "Well I don't really see the point. Why would there even be rules about that."

But at that very second…

The party was completely deafened from a horrifying shriek. With little action they turned to see a terrifying black and purple dragon. It was several stories high with great strength in the scales and muscles. This beast looked with murder in its eyes looking over the various targets. But seeing one of them quickly, it made its move.

With no hesitation, the dragon used its massive neck to reach out and grab Tsukasa by parts of her robe. The dragon shook her viciously as she swung helplessly from the massive grip. A quick flick with its teeth flew the priestess high in the air. Upon her descent, the monster opened its mouth and swallowed her in one fast sequence. It quickly shifted focus to the other six.

"Tsukasa!!" Kagami screamed.

"…damn random encounters." Konata said, pulling out her trusty daggers.

Kaito glanced at the newest members as he equipped his triple-edged katars. "You two can heal right?" Patricia and Hiyori nodded quickly. "We'll be fine."

At that second, the six charged at the beast with fury and retribution.

* * *

Back in reality though…

"And that's how my dream went." Kaito said satisfied.

All four of the girls had completely different reactions to the tale they were just told. Miyuki and Konata were grinning the entire time due to the fantasy and game like scenario. However, the Hiiragi twins were each unsatisfied and mortified by the savage ending.

"I was eaten!?"

"Well that's…interesting." Kagami muttered.

"Quite an impressive dream Kaito-kun." Konata complimented. "I can't believe you were lucky enough to have a dream so realistic to a video game. And you could remember it!"

"I guess my mind is programmed to only remember game related things. I'd rather be playing them then doing tons of other stuff."

"How are your grades Kaito?" Kagami asked.

"Pretty normal. Why'd you ask?"

The twin-tailed girl made a happy sigh. "That's good. At least you can be obsessive but responsible unlike Konata here."

"Something feels off about this though." Kaito said.

"Why is that Kaito-san?" Miyuki asked.

"I never remember dreams. Either they are so completely random I can't remember them at all or I can't recall anything that happened in a dream when I was younger."

"That happens to me a lot." Tsukasa admitted. "If I dream, I'll wake up completely surprised or with some kind of headache."

"Aren't dreams supposed to have some kind of psychological affect?" Konata turned her head towards Miyuki.

"Well…" The shapely girl began. "What would you say were the main concerns about the dream?"

"Let's see. I was at an inn, I drank beer, I was a monk class fighter, and my hair had turned white. And while everyone else was a normal animal, I was some kind of bird that could fly."

"Perhaps you are just lucky Kaito-san." The younger Hiiragi suggested. "If you dream you are a hawk, wouldn't that mean you have good fortune?"

"Doubt it. This wasn't my first dream this year, not to mention hawks aren't really the best kinds of birds to be represented by. If I were an eagle or an owl, that would make more sense."

"Depending on what kind of bird you were, it could symbolize negative or positive feelings. Things like crows and ravens mean you are dark and unfortunate. However, I believe that having wings means you like to having freedom."

"That makes sense." Kaito nodded.

"If I were a ninja bird, I'd be absolutely unstoppable." Konata commented.

Miyuki continued. "If you are in an inn drinking with friends, that means you would have a very prosperous social life. However, the other two factors are generally conflicting. Monks are naturally nonviolent as they would signify devotion and faith, but if you are a monk, it means you could have some internal problems. And if you have your hair turned white, it means you have learned something at that very moment. Is any of this supporting you Kaito-san?"

"Some of it connects…" Kaito said. "It could just be that my mind has been reading too much about games though. Since the dream is entirely fantasy based.

"I think that means you are just really creative Kaito-kun." Konata said sweetly. "Like those theories you made."

"Not really the best example" Kagami said.

"Wait a second…" Tsukasa thought. After thinking about the dream through a few times, she panicked. "If I got eaten in the dream, does that mean something bad is going to happen to me in real life?!"

"It's Kaito's dream Tsukasa. You'll be fine." Her sister comforted her.

"Besides, if you were to die in a role playing game, we would simply cast Life on you and you'd be fine, just like that." Konata commented.

"Usually if a dead body is there, you can revive it. Does that apply to if you get eaten?" The boy asked.

"Hmm…not sure. Maybe Tsukasa would have been out of luck if she got digested or something."

Tsukasa continued to look on worried, while Kagami simply placed her hand on her forehead.

* * *

In the late hours of the evening, two girls were walking through a street in Ikebukuro. They were fatigued but very happy from the upcoming events. Each girl carried very large bags filled with random necessities. A long day of working had tired them out, readying them to go towards the subway.

"Oh, I can't wait to get home…" Konata moaned as she stressed her arms. "We've got a long day tomorrow."

"I can't believe we had so many people come today!" Patricia said, motioning the same way as her co-worker.

"I suppose the comic festival spirit catching up with everyone."

"You think they might recognize us?" Patricia asked

"Well, it'd be good if they did. We need the business."

"I'm going to get a hold of as many doujins as possible! So much that the stores of Maiden Road will be envying me."

"I don't think you'll be able to beat me with that, Patty-chan." Konata smirked.

"Tomorrow is going to be fun, that's for sure."

"Wait till Kaito-kun sees what we'll have in store for him."

But unbeknownst to the cosplayers…they were being watched.

On top of a building, there were two people wearing blue aprons. One of them had a pair of binoculars, while the other was holding onto two pieces of rope with one fist. The man with the binoculars had a close eye on Konata who was casually strolling down the sidewalk. As he looked at her, he placed a walkie-talkie near his head and spoke.

"Tenchou. Legendary Girl A is in the perimeter of Animate. Awaiting orders."

"Excellent!" The man screamed through the device.

Inside the manga shop, there was a very tall and enthusiastic individual. His body was shaking with excitement, enough to power a small city. His spiky hair stood as a black flame, with a red visor nestled on his head with the words "Manager" written on it. The man's clothes were practically floating as the amount of vigor and force he had for this tactic.

"Legendary Girl A will not be able to resist our newest plan. **Release the sign**!" He ordered.

"Understood!" Both of his workers said from the roof.

The man released his hand allowing both pieces of rope to fall. For the rope was holding a large, red piece of cloth. But as the cloth fell to ground, it unveiled the masterpiece the manager had placed. Covering the store was a beautiful mural. One unlike that done by an artist or someone hired by the city. It was a staple picture throughout the anime community. Lights illuminated the glorious picture for all the masses to see.

It was Haruhi Suzumiya in one of her trademark pictures. She was flashing a sign to everyone as her friend Kyon was holding her with much displeasure. Other members of the cast were watching the transaction with various reactions and poses. By the wondrous sign, there was a bright message. It said: "All Haruhi-related items sold with 25 discount!!"

This beautiful image caught the eye of Izumi. Her eyes soon gleamed and filled her with excitement. She her mouth stood agape from the image.

"Patricia…do you see what I see?!"

"A Haruhi goods sale?!"

"Let's go!" The two otakus raced towards the store.

"The target is running towards the store! Be prepared!" One of the workers on the roof said.

"All Right!" The manager said as he was told what was happening. "Attention all hands!"

"Yes!" Three different workers, one male and two female bowed by their superior, awaiting orders.

"Thanks to the support from corporate and our undisputed sales record, we have finally been able to use the ultimate bait! Something no fan or woman can resist, the discount sale! I, Meito Anisawa ask, no, **demand**! That Legendary Girl A buy something from this fantastic store! Can I count on all of you!?" He said with fire in his eyes.

"Yes, Tenchou!" The workers said, as they quickly darted into action.

The male worker with brown hair and a scar on his face dashed at the promotional goods. With masterful hands, he polished and cleaned every piece of merchandise to make it appear brand new. The two girls swirled through the aisle, covering it with flyers and stickers to stress the importance and detail of every single item. This sale would be one of the biggest gambits made, but it was sure to be useful.

"Transformation complete!" All of them announced.

"Good job, team! And now! We wait…" He said confidently, hiding behind his counter.

Their targets had entered into the store.

Konata and Patricia stormed through the doors trying to find all of the items that were on sale. The four Animate workers looked over them intensely, trying to figure out the best sales tactic to use on them. The female, blond worker looked over Konata and talked into her walkie-talkie.

"Tenchou, Legendary Girl A is observing all pieces of Haruhi merchandise."

"Good." Meito confirmed. "Make sure she stays concentrated on those items; block her off if you must!"

"Tenchou! A question!" The male employee stated.

"Ask away!"

"She brought a friend along with her, requesting permission to suggest purchases."

"**You fool**!" The manager said in anger. "There is no need to keep an eye on the other one! If we can lock Legendary Girl A into the sale, her friend will automatically comply! Our sources have told us her friend is the same way!"

"I have much to learn." The worker said in shame.

One of Anisawa's allies approached her target. Konata was still looking on at the long selection, but her focus seemed distraught. This member however was about the same height as the student, so hopefully she could relate.

"Would you like a recommendation?" The violet-haired girl asked.

Konata completely ignored her words. "I have all this stuff already."

The blonde haired girl sighed.

"I'll have to double check at home."

The two then briskly left the store off to more important matters.

"Nooooooooooooooooo!" All of them screamed as an explosion went off at the store. "**She better come back**!" Meito yelled.

* * *

If this chapter felt off to you, don't worry. I understand, I feel really burned out. If you have been waiting for something perk up, I'm sure the next chapter will leave you fans quite satisfied.

Please Review and Critique!


	9. Day At The Festival

Hey people, sorry for the late update. Sometimes ideas are hard and things come out differently than expected. I'm a little irritated and stressed through not only from my late release, but also local confusion with the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I hope to get a copy of it. (Don't worry though, the fic comes first) On an interesting note, I think they released a short little book called "Lucky Star Online" staring the girls in an online video game. I just think that's kind of fun with my last chapter and all. It's filled with some nice pictures, so try to find a translation.

Please Read, Review and Critique!

Disclaimer: I do not own Lucky Star or any of it's character. I only own Yasuhiro Kaito.

* * *

**Chapter 9: Day At The Festival**

The monumentally important day had finally come. After planning and weeks of waiting, various students from Ryoo High School were prepared to go to the bi-yearly otaku hub of Japan known as Comiket. Spirits of anxiousness and excitement were shaking the minds of the teenagers. Some were veterans, some were newcomers, but they each shared the same goal. Obsessive or not, one could not ignore the power or unpredictability of this gathering.

Yasuhiro Kaito looked on into the sky as he walked out of his house. Out of everyone, this day would have the most impact on his very psyche. His heart was accelerating at a fast rate from the event he had prepared for. Not only would this be his first true otaku outing, but he would be doing this with all women he had respected. The sheer thought of such an epic combination had made him anticipated, worried, and captivated. He only felt in a similar state during the first time he viewed Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

Making a few steps, the boy walked next to economical, red car. Due to special request, Kaito would be driving everyone to Ariake. He didn't care too much either way as he felt rather satisfied with his outfit. He wasn't pleased about losing the bet, but at least he would be able to blend in better with his fellow man. He just hoped such large and airy clothing wouldn't affect his driving.

His first stop was at the Izumi residence. Lucky for him, it was the closest destination. Konata would be able to tell Kaito about everything he had to know about this event. Not to mention, she could give an honest thought or two about his costumes. He didn't really want to purchase it from a store, so he had to work with little things at his disposal. He hoped his parents wouldn't notice their things missing.

He knocked on the door of Konata's house and proceeded to shout.

"Kona-chan! I'm here to pick you up!"

"Coming!"

Even with it being early in the morning, the two had no problems shouting to each other. Kaito waited patiently for the special girl to reach the door. He assumed that she needed to carry several things to prepare for Comiket.

She quickly opened the door enthusiastically. "I'm ready to go!"

But as she said that, she opened her eyes to the vision in front of her. Every aspect she knew about Kaito had completely changed. His chestnut hair was bleached blonde and held down with gel, giving it a lovely sheen. The more amazing feature though was with his clothes. He was wearing a lengthy, white gi with the sleeves rolled up and part of his chest showing. From his waist was red hakama with part of his sides showing the white cloth. As accessories, he had a black belt on and long, red armbands around his forearms.

"Kaito…"

"I know…" He said assuredly.

She made a snickered as she pointed towards him. "You look like a _miko_…"

He was irritated by that statement. "Oy! I'm not a freaking miko! I'm Geese Howard!"

"Hmm, I suppose you do look like him." Konata complemented.

"Thanks. Now get in the car, I'm going to need directions." Kaito ordered.

The blue haired girl hopped in the front seat, after she had placed her necessary baggage in the trunk. Kaito had a new destination to go to. Thanks to Konata's intelligence though, they were able to make it to the other place in Saitama. The only house he had gone to was Konata's, so he felt uneasy. Quickly stopping by the house, he made two honks before both otakus left the car, waiting for the newest member.

In a few seconds, the newest member joined their group…Kagami.

"Yo Konata!" She greeted.

"Hey there Kagami" She responded happily.

Kagami's façade changed though upon seeing the male member of the group. "Kaito…is this some kind of joke?"

"Wha-what?" He asked.

"It's not very funny of you to dress like someone from my religion."

Kaito was confused, but he soon connected the dots. He sighed and placed his hand by his nose. "I'm not a _miko_!"

* * *

The group had one last stop to make before the trip to Ariake, probably the most vital of all: the Tamura house. Hiyori took the personal duty to sell things at Comiket. She needed literally dozens of her doujins to bring to the event. Patricia also took the opportunity to sleep at Hiyori's house. Konata however, had asked to hold on to some of her personal belongings as she was at the artist's house. As the red car drove by the house, the two of the goers walked towards the door.

After ringing the door bell, the door opened, revealing Hiyori.

"Welcome!" She said cheerfully.

"Hey Hiyorin." Her sempai said.

"Hey Hiyori, ready to go?" Kaito asked.

"No." Hiyori said embarrassed. "Can you help me carry some of my things to your car?"

"Sure."

Kaito eased on into the artist's room as Konata slinked away from the two. As he entered the room, he quickly ran into an extensively long list of manga on bookshelves, rivaling that of his blue-haired friend. A drawing desk and computer were near her large bed. Yet on the floor were two large cardboard boxes. Each filled to the very top with two different doujins.

"Did you seriously draw all of those?" He asked, completely astonished.

"Hehe, of course not. I simply drew it once, scanned the picture and then printed out several copies."

"Do you think you'll be able to sell this many copies?"

"I'm quite the popular one at Comiket, Kaito-sempai." She said confidently.

He gracefully held up one of the boxes as he took it to his car. Hiyori followed thusly, while additionally holding on to a personal sketchbook and mechanical pencil for herself. As they loaded the items into the car, both otakus sighed peacefully knowing the day would be wonderful. But Kaito quickly deduced something that was amiss.

"Where's Konata and Patricia?"

Hiyori made a devious smile. "Oh, they have something special for you."

"Kaito-kun!" They both called out. Kaito turned to his head, to see something he wasn't ready for.

He looked to see that Konata was dressed in a strange outfit, but not foreign of her serafuku. The top part was primarily white, but embroidered with a skyblue color with a black stripe in the middle. The ribbon was closer to her waist than her chest. She was also carried accessories as well, but unlike Kaito she had a red armband near her left shoulder and a gold ribbon across in her hair. Patricia on the other hand…

She had looked completely transformed. Her short blonde hair was accompanied by two large, symmetric pieces of hair on the back of her head. There was an large, pink and maroon piece of cloth on her head. From the neck down, she was wearing a large, puffy pink and white maid outfit. It was fully decorated as she wore white gloves, a corset, a name tag, and a large bow around her waist. But most of all, part of the chest was exposed, similar to his own costume.

"Oh my god." Kaito muttered. The breath was completely stolen from him. Unbeknownst to him though, Konata was whispering in Patricia's ear. She laughed from the comments.

"Your right!" She blurted out. "He does look like a miko!"

Kaito then felt uncomfortable even after witnessing his friends were cosplaying. Hiyori snickered along with the other girls. He clenched his fist in anger. Kagami looked on in the car however, to see her friends in full otaku attire.

"This is exactly why I asked to be driven there…"

* * *

Arriving outside of the vastly populated buildings, the five teenagers exited the car quickly. Konata was personally happy as her male friend didn't have any crazy driving instincts like Cousin Yui did. Kaito was just relieved he wouldn't have to be distracted by Patricia sitting in the middle of the back seat. Grabbing their equipment, they moved towards the crowd.

Hiyori felt a bit irked from the situation. The five of them had to push through a number of people as they began to move forward. Guards were standing all around the perimeter to ensure the whole process would be peaceful. They also had to shout various warnings to the members about buying limits and the need to not riot. Everyone was irritated going through the people in line, as they didn't want to ruin their clothes or start any problems. As they reached the very front, they were yelled at by two guards.

"Hey! Get back in line!" The first guarded ordered.

Hiyori looked sternly as she pulled out a card from her pocket. "Tamura Hiyori. I'm seller for this Comiket. My table is at A-82."

The guard quickly looked over her card and noticed her large box of materials. "Go on. You have fifteen minutes to prepare."

"Thank you!" She said, as she passed by.

The second guard looked at the other four. "What do you want?"

Kaito spoke up. "Yasuhiro Kaito. I've brought the artist here and I'm carrying half of her products."

The first guard scoffed as he looked at him. "Fine. Get going."

He passed them by to catch up with his younger friend.

It was Konata's time to speak. "We're here on behalf of one of the great cosplay cafes. Not only are friends of the artists, we are also luxurious buyers and advertisers."

The second guard leaned in on them. "May as well let them go. Don't want to let that Mikuru cosplayer alone, that'd just make things worse for this ravenous crowd."

The first guard sighed and pointed at the two girls. "Move. Now." They quickly scurried off.

This left Kagami at an awkward position. She tried to speak up. "Um…I'm here to help the artist with her materials."

The second guard once again moved closed to his partner. "You've already let them through, let her go."

"Are you insane?!"

"Come on…you shouldn't leave her alone." Kagami was already dreading coming, seeing as how everyone else had passed.

"Fine." He pointed at the Hiiragi. "Just go."

She smiled as she ran passed all of the deranged fans. Lucky for everyone, the estranged masses were too riled up with anticipation to see. As Kagami entered the building, she once again was filled with the previous annoyances from the last Comiket. Tons of obstructions in the way such as cutouts and displays of figurines. There were way too many tables of people selling various doujins of their random ideas. However, through all of items, she was able to find her friends all gathered around a table.

"Oi! Kagami!" Konata shouted.

"Good to see you didn't get left out." Kaito said.

"It would have been a shame if you were lost." Hiyori mentioned.

"Thanks guys."

Konata smirked to herself about the current situation. "Things may work in my favor today. I'll have to start going to more of these with you, Hiyorin."

"What about me?" Patricia said playfully.

"Oh, Patty-chan. Of course you'll be there. But like every time I come here, I have a schedule to maintain."

Kaito did a double take. "Schedule?!"

Konata quickly handed out three maps, lists, wallets, and water bottles to Kagami, Kaito and Patricia. To this, Kagami was remembering the haunting memories of the last visit she had. It was amazing to her that Konata was able to plan this whole thing out so thoroughly. Kaito and Patricia however were dumbfounded by the maps though. It was marked all over the place with different letters in everything. Konata began her briefing.

"Since we came here early, we'll be able to get things done much quicker than usual. We have a few good minutes before we are allowed to shop, so it's best that we take action in the first half hour. Patty, you'll be following with me the entire time, so just listen to my orders. We won't be far from each other at all. Even though we are here for pleasure, we are also here on business. We need to recommend our café to anybody that talks to us."

"Understood!"

"Hiyori, since you are selling things, you are excused from all buying. However, Kagami, I'd like you to keep a safe buying perimeter around the whole area. That way, you can efficiently make purchases and keep close to Hiyori in the event you might want to alternate."

"Kagami-sempai, I'm willing to alternate if you can defend my booth for me. I'd like to get some things for myself."

The tsundere decided not to fight against the mission. "Fine, fine."

"Kaito, you will perhaps have the biggest assignment. You are to cover the entire west building listed here. But the amount of purchases you have to make would be as large as the others. The only thing you have to deal with is travel. You'll need to follow the marked path in red if you don't want to get blocked off or trapped. Tables marked in red need to be bought as soon as possible, while green ones may wait for the afternoon. A 'S' stands for something newly released, a 'K' stands for something already in print."

Kaito simply nodded as the instructions seemed to be easy enough.

"We've really had a blessing coming here early. We might be able to participate in any of the events if we have time!" She looked directly into the eyes of the male cosplayer. "Kaito-kun, can I count on you to do all this?!"

He reacted without thought. "Yes, Kona-chan!"

"Can I count on all of you?!"

"You bet!" The female otakus cheered on.

"You really get too far into this." Kagami said.

"We shall rendezvous at Hiyori's table at Noon. Now let's go fulfill our destiny!"

Kaito dashed off towards the west building, while the other cosplayers went the opposite direction. Hiyori and Kagami just had to stay put until everything was confirmed. Their targets were spotted and their positions were ready. Like a race, all they had to wait for was the shot of the starter pistol. The only threat about this race though would be from everyone else. They would dash into the buildings like suicidal rats just to get a hold of the precious self-publishings.

Suddenly, all clocks had their long hands it the 12. Everyone in the building could hear the rumbling coming from the overexcited fans. The people were already lucky though, with a quarter mile and a set of stairs separating them from raving fans. The mobile otakus sprung into action, following the extensive shopping list Konata had requested. They had to shift through the various vendors as quickly as possible.

Kaito was smart enough to bring his own movable luggage carrier, like Konata had advised him. The only thing he was focused on at the moment was buying all of her items. He didn't question the price or the fact that Konata had requested three copies of each doujin. He had the goal of buying his own personal items, as well as seeing a few events, celebrities and fellow cosplayers.

He began strolling through the literally thousands of pieces of copyrighted materials. With only a part of his list completed, the waves of waiters began scrambling through all the tables. It was insanity, yet all the same time fascinating. There were people carrying twice the amount of luggage he was carrying and were wearing way more elaborate costumes than he had on. He had to complete his mission though; it would be the best way for Kona-chan to trust him.

As he completed one more sale in the area, in had to intuitively follow the map provided for him to get to his next destination. She was right about the areas being filled with displays and figurines. However, as he was walking, he found one particular display that caught his eye. But what was more amazing was the message it had written on it, like it was a sign from the gods.

It said: Guitar Hero Tournament at 14:00 in West Building, Admission: 1000 Yen.

Vigor coursed through his veins, as he dashed towards the official near the sign.

"Where do I sign up?!" He demanded.

"If you wish to sign up for our game tournament, you can do it right now if you pay for the money in advance."

"Thanks!" He said, giving the person his money and signing his name on the form.

"Good luck to you, be sure to come here on time or else you will be disqualified."

"No problem." He said, regaining his composure. But as he walked off, his made frontal contact with another cosplayer.

"Oi!" He screamed. Kaito took a sharp look at him. He was wearing a feudal style costume like himself, except it was completely red all around. His hair was died silver with a strange, yet fake pair of dog ears. He was also carrying an extremely large sword by his side. He continued to rant. "Watch where you are going buddy!"

"Oh, sorry." Kaito apologized.

"Hmmf." The cosplayer said, making a scowl at him and observing his costume. "What kind of Kikyo costume is that?"

"What?" Kaito said confused.

"Not sure why someone dressing up like a miko and dye their hair blonde…" He connected the dots. "Oh wait, you're from that bad fighting game series."

Kaito felted irritated by that statement. "You are one to talk."

"What do you mean!? My costume is perfect?!"

"No no, it's not that. It's the thing you represent." The cosplayer look at him blankly. Kaito coughed as he began to explain. "You are dressed as the main hero of a phony shonen series filled with several obvious flaws."

"What?! There's action in it!"

"True, but compared to the level of drama and complaining done by all the characters, it's hardly an entertaining series. Half of the conflict comes from the whining and the overemotional outbursts done by the two main characters who are in constant denial that they love each other. There is also the fact that the primarily villain has enough power to destroy everyone but is simply too lazy to do so. And there is the notion that while all this happens in the Warring States era, the present where the main female role is from, is completely unaffected. Therefore it proves that the whole series is useless and has no purpose."

The cosplayer was completely stunned by Kaito's words. He couldn't really say much to a description against his favorite series like that.

"Yeah…well…YOU SUCK!" Is all he could muster as he ran away from Kaito.

Kaito simply sweatdropped and continued shopping. He should have expected people like that to exist in real life and attend Comiket.

* * *

Around noon, Hiyori and Kagami were sitting around the table at A-82. The tsundere sat there looking completely tired. The only thing keeping her head from smacking the table were her hands holding the weight of her head. Hiyori however, was enthusiastic as ever as she had only one box left of her artwork to sell. The other box worked as a makeshift cash register holding various bills and coins, as well as some of Konata's items.

A buyer came up to the two. "Hello, may I look at one of those books?"

"Sure!" Tamura said as she passed one of her works to the man.

He looked through the book carefully. He looked with intrigue and glee as he thumbed through the various pictures. Every pose done by the two girls was wonderfully done, while the dialogue was very believable and refreshing.

"How much?" The man said happily.

"500 Yen."

"Here you go." He tossed the girl the proper coin.

"Thank you."

"I have a question, where do you come up with all this stuff?"

Hiyori felt a bit hesitant to ask, but did anyway. "Well, I suppose most of it comes from personal experience. Sometimes you have to draw what comes to you."

The buyer nodded. "Ah yes…I had similar friends like this. Thanks for the manga!"

The meganekko felt that recurring abhorred feeling when someone asked her something that dangerous about her personal thoughts. She had made a killing over all of her work, but had a very dirty feeling over it. She smashed her cheek against the table as she looked dead up towards the lighted ceiling. Kagami took attention to it.

"Something wrong Tamura-san?"

"Oh…nothing…" She said sheepishly.

"I'm surprised you were able to sell so many copies." She said impressed.

"Thank you."

"Konata showed me some of your work. I can see why so many people would like everything."

Hiyori felt irritated by that, but expected something from her sempai. She did show it to Yutaka after all. "You don't think anything is wrong with it?"

"It's pretty good the way I looked at it. A bit immoral, but it's nothing compared to the things Konata had made me look at."

Hiyori scratched her head innocently.

The three cosplayers arrived at the table, right on time.

"Yahoo" Konata said happily.

"Hey there Kona-chan, Patricia-san." Kaito greeted. "You guys get everything you need?"

"We have just about everything. Patty-chan here's a real efficient buyer."

She blushed from the complement. "Thanks Konata! Though we haven't been able to move the flyers."

Kagami joined in on the happiness. "At least you are having fun, right? Sounds like it since the last time I came."

"You've gone before, Kagami?" Kaito asked.

"Yeah, but it wasn't that great. I don't think I was able to get everything or hardly see anything here."

Konata got an idea from that. "We've had plenty of time, and I don't really have to do much. How about we head to the Cosplay Corner?"

"I'm for it." The blonde haired girl said.

"It'd be nice to see more people from my video game…" Kaito complemented.

"You all go have fun; I have plenty of things to sell." Hiyori said.

The four them walked off into a northern section of the event. The Cosplay Corner was outside and was filled with as many people as the eye could see. Lucky for them, photography was allowed. It was one of Comiket's selling points, aside from the individual sellers. They would have plenty of fun in that area. As they were heading to corner though, Kaito noticed a giant stack of papers between his two otaku friends.

"You weren't able to give away the papers?" He said blatantly.

"No…" Konata said. "We are different from other cafes, but other people don't see that."

"I've been to it before, I expect all of those to be the same way."

"That's just not true Kagamin." Patricia said. "Our café is conveniently placed around several businesses and our costumer service is unmatched. Thought everyone would take these things into consideration."

"You shouldn't make statements like that." Kagami said bitterly.

"I think you just have to do something to get everyone's attention." Kaito said. "For example, if you are both dressed as Haruhi, do something that'll drive the fans wild, like various times she gropes Mikuru."

"Ugh…I don't want to see this. I have things to do." Kagami thought. She slowly drifted from the three cosplayers.

"I don't think I'd be up for that." Patricia groaned.

"Oh ho ho…you'll have to do that Patty-chan." Konata said deviously. "In this situation, I'm dressing up as Haruhi. And you have the breasts for the job, so I can't simply switch costumes with you."

"Boob grabbing?" Kaito gleefully thought.

"Can't we just try doing the dance in front of everyone?"

"No good. Everyone knows the dance by now…and we're going to have a great amount of competition with the similar cosplayers. May as well try a different tactic."

But before they could respond, they were outside. At it was just like everything they had expected. Even though Konata had been to Comikets before, she never cosplayed. This was the perfect opportunity to get everything moving. Just as they predicted, the amount of Haruhi cosplayers was unreal. They took up a good percentage of the amount of attendees.

"Wow…" All three of them said.

"Shall we get to taking pictures?" Kaito asked.

The two girls nodded happily as everything began. Konata had brought along a digital camera of her dad's. She knew he would appreciate the hard work of finding all the cute outfits. At first though, Kaito had to work as cameraman. He was able to get some great poses from the willing Patricia and Konata. At first, they began doing many of their trademark poses from the café. Nearly every person was enthusiastic to join in, as Kaito got pictures with nearly ten people in them.

They switched positions though, as Kaito was lucky enough to find some people dressing up as King of Fighters. Many of them dressed as the commonly known men from the series, but it was fun nonetheless. The boy made several poses from Geese's repertoire. Each person was nice enough to move and act as they were being played on the game. After finishing making a signature pose with a person dressed as Iori, Konata took the picture.

"This is fun." Kaito said contently.

"A lot of these cosplayers are cute…" Patricia commented, looking at every well fashioned piece of material.

Konata was a bit more exposed to this sort of thing, so she didn't care much. What she was more concerned with was all the flyers for the café. It was the perfect job; she didn't want to lose the perfect combination. Her train of thought however was derailed though as he heard a electric guitar riff coming from Kaito's hakama.

"One second…" Kaito said as he moved away from his friends. "Hello?"

Konata took this opportunity to move into action. Looking at the previously participating Iori cosplayer, she tossed the camera to him without hesitation. He fiddled around with it before he had it completely in his grasp.

"Watch this." The blue haired girl said.

She took the time to take advantage of her small frame and her unsuspecting frame. With her fast hands, she advanced herself on Patricia's body. Everyone surrounding all three of them looked at it with amazement. Kaito however, was busy with his conversation.

"Oh hey, it's been awhile." With the large crowd, it was hard to tell with his friend was saying.

"Yeah, sorry I haven't talked to you guys lately. No no, I don't hate you or anything, it's just that you have to hang out with women."

On the opposite side of the phone, the voice was very understanding. However he changed the subject on Kaito rather quickly.

"I'm at Comiket. Why? No problem, I can buy you something."

His friend's next statement though, cracked Kaito's mind in two.

"You want to buy what!? No, I heard you, but jeez. I can't buy that! What if the girls find it!?"

After many pleads from the other side of the phone, Kaito gave up.

"Fine. But you owe me for this."

As Kaito closed his phone, he heard a scream coming from his friend's direction. The scream was soon followed with a wave of shuddering cameras. Movement had also picked up, as the sound of footsteps began to ring out, even while being outside. Kaito dashed over to see what the matter was. He was lucky enough to find his two friends.

"What the? Did something happen?" Kaito asked panicked, hoping something bad didn't happen. He looked to see that all of the flyers they were carrying were all gone. "What happened to the advertisements?"

Patricia looked down, unsure of what to say. As she looked at Konata, she simply grinned devilishly as she nodded towards her. She couldn't muster much, but she placed her finger on her lip.

"Classified Information."

Kaito felt more troubled then a few seconds ago. His mind screamed. "Damn! I missed something important!"

* * *

Sorry to hit you with a cliffhanger readers. ; And if you are an Inuyasha fan, I hope you don't get too upset.

On a more personal note, there's something I've been wondering about this fanfic archive. Exactly how popular is girl/girl pairings here? Now, don't get me wrong, I fully expect there to be pairings made of this, this is a female-centric manga after all. And there are tons of fantastic writers who can capitivate the adventure of romance very well. The thing I'm more concerned with is does this leave non-traditional non-yuri stories like mine out of the loop? I do worry about my readers and popularity a lot, so I think it's good to know.

Anyway, thanks for reading!


	10. Afternoon Of The Festival

Hey faithful readers. Sorry for the slight delay. I've been a little shaky with everything due to recent problems, but I'm glad I can still stay loyal to this story. If you look at some of my previous works, they took months to get new chapters. It's a big improvement for me.

But let's focus on this chapter. I shall warn you all that this is my biggest chapter up to date peaking in at around 6400 words. Find a comfortable place to enjoy reading this. This chapter is **REALLY** significant to the plot. So I hope you wish to enjoy it. On the subject of my writing, I will admit I tend to make several errors when writing. Though the kinds of errors I make aren't those found by Microsoft Words. I might type in the a similar word with a different meaning, such as saying the word "think" when I meant to say the word "thing." I'm also guilty for leaving in unnecessary words that I mean to delete. My other mistake is getting confused with present/past verb agreement as I may say "carry" instead of "carrying" and things like the sort. Too bad Word doesn't pick up on them, right? I will say though that lately I've been using some of my fellow writers as editors. They are much better at catching those mistakes than I am.

Please Enjoy and Review!

**Disclaimer: **Lucky Star and it's characters are the property of Kagami Yoshimizu

* * *

**Chapter 10: Afternoon Of The Festival**

The Geese Howard cosplayer started to feel the stress of Comiket setting in. He looked over his cell phone to see that he didn't have any more time to spend in this section. Bidding farewell to Konata and Patricia, he dashed back into the large buildings. The only thing he was focused on now was getting to and winning the tournament. But the second he entered inside, otakus were cramping every single inch of the displays and vendors.

The afternoon rush had set in. The population had reached its peak and was scrambling more than ever to grab every piece of merchandise. Limited edition items were almost completely gone leaving the stock piled items to be brought to the consumer's attention. It felt like the more the person saw, the more they had to own. Unfortunately, this caused some tension between all of the buyers. Even a few of the promotion cutouts were bent or trampled upon.

Kaito now had to act orderly and gracefully as he moved through all the people. The process of moving so slow through waves of otakus was completely nerve-racking. He feared that he'd lose his manga, or some argument would incite, or his costume might be ripped apart. He wasn't used to walking or standing this much either, so he didn't want fatigue to get the best of him. Especially with the newly promised task of buying risky manga. Well, risk**ier.**

Nearing a flight of stairs, he came across something he had seen too much at Comiket, a line. It was the only thing standing in the way of possible glory, as he could see the large TV they were planning to use to display the contest. The line shuffled slowly, as if there was an artist selling their work at the very last step. Lines were freaking everywhere at this event, it was amazing anything even got done here. He was glad that he had Hiyori as a friend.

Through much irritation though, he had reached the last step. He smiled to see that everything was being set up perfectly. The TV was large, they had used the most up to date version of the game with the best graphics, they were using the top of the line peripherals, and they were matching the speed of the game with the television. It made him smile, as most chains didn't know of the effects high definition TVs had towards rhythm games. It slowed them to a strange motion that would screw up even the most expert of players. He walked up to one of the coordinators.

"Am I just in time?"

"Yes, we'll be starting soon."

"I'm curious to know, how will you be deciding songs and people?"

"The songs will be chosen from a random number generator from numbers 1 to 71. We have thirty-two people in this tournament, so we shall simply go in the order of who signed up first."

"Ah. Thanks."

Kaito walked into the large crowd of players and spectators. Many more people were dressed up in costumes than he expected for this particular event. He itched in anticipation as he would finally be able to see what other guitar players Japan had to offer. Due from the harsh systems in the arcades, he was expecting something very challenging. One of the coordinators stood on stage and everyone focused their attention on her.

"Welcome to Comiket's Guitar Hero 3 tournament. First, we would like to thank all participants for coming to this particular event. Secondly, we would like to announce that today's grand prize winner shall receive a Playstation 3!"

Upon that note, the a piece of cloth was thrown in the air, revealing the black, colossal box in all it glory. "Ooohs" roared from the crowd.

"And the second place winner shall receive 20,000 Yen! Now, let's get this started!" Cheers and applause came from the players and spectators. The coordinator looked upon her clipboard and shouted. "Can I have Yasuhiro Kaito and Suzuki Haro up here?"

"Sweet, that's me!" Kaito thought to himself. He walked up to the stage, strapping on one of the guitars.

But to his dismay, he saw that other person putting the peripheral around his shoulders was a certain Inuyasha cosplayer. As he sighed to himself, Haro gave him a ferocious scowl.

"Hmmf. What you doing here, _miko_?"

"Just here to play some games and have fun. Problem with that?"

He pointed at Kaito. "You'll never beat me! I'm the best player at my school!"

Kaito sweatdropped. "I doubt there are a whole lot of people who know about this import game…"

"Ok, ok, calm down." The coordinator said. She dug her hand into a large barrel filled with small slips of paper. She pulled out one particular slip out and looked at it. "We will be following the set list first, then the bonus songs. Number…37!"

The two chose their character and scrolled down to the particularly evil song. The cosplayers knew that many people would nickname this song as a wrist-breaker. It had several irritating chord changes around all of the colors. Combine this factor with fast strumming, it was sure to be painful for any gamer. The screen loaded up, showing the lovely graphics of the TV. It was game time.

The beginning was simple; it was quick stream of easy notes between green, yellow, and blue. Both players hit the section with no problem, but it quickly shifted, as notes went from green and red, to combos of red, blue, and orange. The pace quickened up with closer notes and a siege of hammer-ons. Around the time the lyrics started kicking in; Kaito's flawless streak remained in tact.

Haro on the other hand was completely flailing around on the stage. Plunks and screech guitar sounds emitted from his side of the playing field. Even on one of the easier parts, he couldn't keep up a strong multiplier. He was more irritated than ever as a "300 Note Streak!" message appeared on Kaito's side of the screen. After a few seconds, they moved up to one of the more frustrating parts of the song.

It was the chorus that repeated the same lines and notes over and over. It was frustrating physically and mentally as the players had to move their hands seven times within three seconds. And this process would repeat itself at least twenty more times in the entire songs. Kaito was able to keep up with the speed with the occasional miss, but Haro was doing worse than ever.

But at this time, they came up to the slow climax of the song. It started slow, with yellow singular notes. But without warning, it changed to a furious storm of separated chords. A relentless stream of green-yellow, red-blue, and orange-red notes. The crowd looked in awe from the difficulty of the song. The Inuyasha cosplayer was beginning to have the horrible feeling onset arthritis attacking his fingers.

Kaito on the other hand through looked on at the screen with an iron will. He was completely unflinching, only moving two parts of his entire body. Haro was completely stunned as the Geese Howard cosplayer simultaneously moved his pointing and ring finger, synchronizing with the frets of the fake guitar. He was like a statue till the very end of his song.

The end had a picture of Kaito's favorite character posing valiantly on a magazine cover. The score was an impressive near 500,000 compared to the meager score under 180,000. Waves of responses came from the crowd.

"Wow…"

"That cosplayer is really good, he could win this."

"Hope I don't have to play against him."

The Inuyasha cosplayer had only one thing to say to Kaito. "YOU'RE A FREAK!" He stormed off the stage, pouting.

Kaito could simply look back in disappointment. Hopefully the day would improve from there.

* * *

At the original point of the long and arduous journey, Hiyori happily began packing away her things. She may have missed a few of the items she had to buy, but it was still worth it. Every single piece of artwork she had created had been sold to the masses. Her wallet was bursting with bills and coins, just like the last Comiket she went to. It made her feel tremendously proud that everyone enjoyed her work. With the table cleared, she happily began to do all of her personal shopping. While she was an artist of doujinshi, she enjoyed indulging herself in other people's self-published work. It was time to splurge with all of her hard earned cash.

She started around the northern part of the east building. Without thinking she had to purchase copies of her favorite seinen mangas and merchandise. From the teachings of her brother, she was able to cycle quickly through all the vendors while keeping her items and money organized. She had a bit more self-control than Konata and didn't need to spend ludicrous amounts of cash.

But that wasn't the only task she had for Comiket. Like all artists, she needed a constant source of inspiration, and this mass gathering of cosplayers was no exception. She smiled devilishly as she walked slowly outside to see all the glorious attendees. With her pencil and sketchpad ready, she was prepared for the absolute best the country had to offer. But the first thing she saw was something she was really unacquainted to.

It was her friends, _arguing_ for once.

"I can't believe you did that!" Patricia yelled. While surprised, Konata kept a constant smirk on her face from the transaction.

"Aww…you shouldn't complain Patty-chan. I was acting like all good cosplayers do." Konata said, relatively smug.

"That was no excuse for what you did! I mean, in front of all those people!"

"But this is something you should be used to. You do this for a living after all."

"Konata, you should consider yourself lucky you don't have to deal with the same kind of problems I do." Patricia said her voice softening as she held her body closely. "You don't have to worry about _them_."

"Oh Patty-chan…" Konata said comforting. "Trust me; I've thought a lot about if I had larger breasts. Maybe not your size, but breasts in general."

"You aren't helping. All those people were looking at us, I felt dirty for once in my life."

"You'll get used to that feeling." She said confidently.

"I didn't think you'd do such a thing Konata. I thought you would know that another woman's boobs are delicate things."

She smaller girl thought a little bit about that statement. While she was proud of her chest, it was still flat. It was definitely different feeling a large pair of breasts for once. She wouldn't have the same type of stimulation or problems people like Miyuki-san would have to deal with. She sighed as she wrapped her arm around her blonde haired friend.

"I'm sorry, Patty-chan. I'll have to think about these kinds of things before I act."

The Mikuru cosplayer smiled back. "It's ok."

"At least we did our job and distributed all of those flyers!"

They both had a hearty laugh from the situation. But merely fifteen feet away…

* * *

"I'm amazed I never saw this sooner." The blue haired girl looked in awe of her friend.

"I've should have seen it from working at the café for so long…" The American girl said back to her native friend.

"It was amazing being able to touch those lovely things."

"Konata, I know you've always wanted to. You are my friend; I couldn't trust anyone else with such a task."

"Patty-chan…working with you for so long and seeing you in so many of those costumes…it's made me think."

"About what?" She asked, advancing towards Konata.

"I've always wanted to try things. Things with such a beautiful girl like yourself."

"I feel the same. Ever since I came to Japan as an exchange student, I wanted to meet a girl as perfect as you who was just like me."

The two reached in closer, Patricia kneeling down to her friend's level. The two looked longingly in each others eyes, like gems glistening on the same necklace.

"Take me."

"As you wish."

The two embraced in passion.

* * *

Back towards reality, Hiyori was giddy with joy. She would normally be offended by thinking such thoughts against her friends, Kaito's words echoed through her thread. And fueled by the profit and costumes of Comiket…

She began sketching like mad as drool came down through her lips. "This is _too_ good…I must draw this." She thought, as she was thinking deviously. The meganekko stopped drawing for one second though, to think about the picture. "I hope I can draw long hair and breasts correctly."

* * *

After a few hours, the Comiket's video game tournament was in its semi-final rounds. Kaito and another attendee were rocking out to one of the game's classic songs from the seventies. It was during one of the climaxing sections where each contest was bombarded by various triple descending notes. This was one of the perfect songs to define the game. It would move constantly between slow and fast, while displaying the perfect balance of fun and difficulty shown in a rhythm game.

Yasuhiro tilted his plastic guitar as he nailed a challenging trill in order to get more points. He had remembered this song from beginning to end, so he knew every oppotortunity to defeat his opponent. While the other player was skillful, Kaito hadn't missed a single note. His façade was entranced as if he was still playing the song at home. After a long sequence of notes, the song ended after the two characters hit the song's memorable riff. The screen flashed in a lightning bolt as the cosplayer emerged victorious.

Kaito smiled as he placed his guitar down. He extended a hand to his competitor. "Good match."

"Thanks. I never took the time to unlock that song, so I was a bit thrown off."

Kaito smiled as the two walked off the stage, in order to give room for the Comiket officials.

"Alright goers, we shall now be taking a twenty minute break to give our finalists some warm up time. Who shall win between Yasuhiro Kaito and Yagami Hideki? Find out soon!"

After that announcement, a shock hit Kaito's system. He had been having too much at the event, he forgot to pick up the manga he was called to get. He panicked as he fiddled around his loose pockets to find Konata's map. His friend was lucky enough to tell him where the stall was. It made Kaito wonder why his lazy friend didn't go out to the festival in the first place.

Picking it from his costume, Kaito shifted his eyes around the map. He came across a blue X marked on it. He was in luck as the vendor was in the East Building, with a small enough travel distance that it would give him time to spare. During Comiket's evenings nearly all the lines were gone, but otakus still roamed around the area. Most of them would spend their time eating at the nearby shops or going to the evening events.

The boy couldn't risk making any more mistakes now; he had to find that manga. He didn't want to disappoint anyone on this tremendous day. He sidestepped past all the participants, trying to keep on track with Konata's map. After knocking down a Akira Kogami cut out, he looked at a particular stand. He exchanged glances between it and his map. It was a perfect match. He took a deep breath as he walked towards the stand.

"Hello…" He said nervously. "How much are these?"

"There are four different volumes here. Each costs 500 Yen."

He looked down at the strange doujins. His curiosity was overwhelming. "May I look at them?"

"Go ahead." The seller said happily.

Kaito picked up a yellow colored copy of the strange art. As he looked from the beginning, the manga did strangely gain his interest. The plot was mediocre at best, but the artist depiction's of each page was amazing. Every character position was shaded and shined to a full detail. With each progressing page, with the scenes getting more heated as they lead to best parts of the story.

"Not sure what he sees in this stuff." Kaito thought. "At least the girls look nice. Really nice breasts, this artist clearly took his time."

"Do wish to buy it?" He said suddenly.

Kaito twitched realizing he was still reading questionable work in public. He decided to take the best action. "I'll have one of each."

"Ok then, 2000 yen."

Kaito handed him the money as he decided not to focus on the work any more. But thinking about it, he asked a quick question. "Can you put this in a bag?"

The seller nodded and placed all four doujins into a paper bag. He knew people felt shaky about making such questionable purchases.

"Thank you!"

"Thanks…" He said nervously.

He dashed off back to his original purpose. He had to quickly hide away these works, but unfortunately he left all his travel luggage back at the stage. In a sense, he was amazed that everything he could think of would be at this wonderful convention. The people, the games, the copyright materials, this otaku dreamland was a reality twice every year. But as he daydreamed about the work, he forgot a very important thing about dressing up.

Part of his red cloth would drag near the floor. From all the walking, he hardly had noticed this at all. But running put him in a very awkward position. His sneaker made fast contact against his lovely red hakama. He immediately flailed about as his stomach smacked against the hard floor. He groaned in misery and pain as his eyes wondered around the building.

However from his collapse, he clicked as he heard a familiar voice.

"Kaito?"

He stumbled up while feeling completely dizzy from his fall. Focusing his retinas, he saw that the voice calling to him was near his head. It was Kagami.

"Are you ok? I saw you fall down."

"I'll be fine. I just need to get to the competition."

"What is that?"

"There's a Guitar Hero competition here and I'm in the final round. You should go tell everyone."

With that statement, he twisted around as he stretched his muscles. The damage would have to wait as he had something to finish. But from his stretching, Kagami made a particular observation. He was holding on a brown paper bag with a large rip by the top. She tilted her head down to see what had dropped from his bag. But that was a royal mistake.

After he finished stretching, he opened his eyes to see a shaking Kagami. He blinked and tried to talk to her.

"Kagami?"

"You…" Was all she could gather.

"Is there something wrong?"

"You…"

"Problem?"

"You _**SICKO**_!" She said with a harpy's screech.

Kaito's face recoiled in horror. Never had he seen such a female so angry in his entire life.

"Why are you buying THIS!" She demanded, shoving the manga cover in his face.

Kaito couldn't react, having to look at that cover again. He would of known Kagami would hate this. For the lady on the cover was very special. She was like most doujin ladies, containing a matching pair of kemonomimi ears and a tail. She continued to follow moe aesthetic wearing a school uniform and wearing a pair of glasses. But her most noticeable feature is what made the tsundere rage the most.

She was fat. The girl on the cover was very overweight. She had a large, supple pair of breasts, partially showing even through the top of the serafuku. Her stomach and behind were also quite detailed from the suggestive pose she was making. Kaito had a horrible churning in his gut. Before saying anything, he good feel the fury emitting from Kagami's body.

"Yasuhiro Kaito I didn't expect you to do something so despicable! Buying this shameless, horrible artwork for your own sick pleasures!"

"Let me explain…" He squeaked out.

"I didn't expect you to do such a thing! I mean, I always knew that Konata cared for strange mangas, but I knew she would indulge in these things! Her dad is living proof!"

"Let me talk Kagami."

"No! How dare you buy something this horrible and objectifying?"

Kaito felt a cloud pouring over his head. "She sure is being dramatic about this…"

"Why would you buy art of overweight people making love! You clearly fooled me Kaito, as I expected you to be a real gentleman! But at heart, you are just a dirty otaku!"

That statement forced some anger out from the boy. "Now wait just a second! I'm buying this for someone!"

Kagami could keep a clear head even with ranting. "Oh yeah? For who!?"

He couldn't give a definite response, so he hoped a hint would satisfy her needs. "You know him! He's from your class!"

"I demand to know who he is, right now!" She said, starving for the answer.

Kaito felt strained, as he couldn't talk. He huffed and looked away from her. "I can't tell you. I'd be a horrible friend if I did so."

"A horrible…" Kagami mumbled as the fury built up inside her. But for a second, she stopped as sick ideas began forming in her head. If Kaito was really about this, did he even care about anyone Kagami knew about? As she began connecting together horrible statements he had made. "Oh, you are evil…"

"What?"

"Have you purposely been making me not work out? _Huh?_ Are you making me gain weight in order to fulfill your sick fantasies? What the hell, are all you men out to fill your desires? _WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU_!?"

Kaito had to retaliate. It was the only way tsunderes could get something through their heads. "Damn it, Kagami! I have enough moral fiber to realize what is wrong and what is right! I would never force anything upon you, or Konata or all the rest! What the hell kind of person do you think I am!?"

She sharpened her face as she looked away. She huffed and continued to go on. "A horrible otaku."

Kaito panicked. Even if these facts weren't true, he knew she would spread this information like wildfire. Girls were magnificent rumor spreaders. He had to do something, as for once in his life time in had true girl friends. Even otaku girls like Konata, Patricia and Hiyori would look down on him if they assumed he had a strange sexual fetish.

He looked at the fuming Kagami to see if he could do something. He had to find a chink her armor. But upon inspection, she had something similar to him. A lone plastic bag was drifting around her wrist. It was clearly weighted with wonderful doujins of the artists of this event. This was his oppourtunity.

Without warning he pulled the bag from Kagami's hand. She frantically flailed her body around hoping he wouldn't get it, but to no avail. Her mind and spine felt out of place as Kaito looked through the bag. But keeping her attitude, she angrily blushed and looked away. Kaito's hands trembled as he picked up one of the particular volumes.

He became completely invigorated as he looked at the cover. His voice became intolerably smug as he moved towards Kagami.

"Oh ho ho…what have we here…" He said.

"It's…it's not mine!" She blurted out.

"Gauron and Sousuke, eh?"

"Shut up!" She screamed. "Do you think I would buy something like that?"

He made a delightful grunt from the comment. "Well, you had to." She growled at him intensely. "I already saw you buy everything that Konata needed. And do you really expect me to believe someone like Tsukasa would be able to handle a man on another man?"

Kagami was completely fuming as she watched Kaito smile insidiously. Even though his manga was a touchy subject for her, he discovered her own little fantasies. A class representative and model student like her? Indulging in her desire of yaoi? It was a horrible burden for the twin-tailed girl to be interested in such a taboo thing. Yet Kaito looked at this as a golden lifesaver. But he felt sympathetic that a tsundere like her wanted to keep a "normal" attitude.

He looked down and moved closer to his friend. "Kagami…" He placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me." She said coldly, brushing him off.

"I'm your friend, Kagami. I'm begging you to believe me that I don't look at this kind of thing. I bought it for my friend. Why is it so hard for you to believe that?"

The older twin was absolutely befuddled from the situation. She didn't want to reveal the deredere side of her personality. "I don't know…I just feel like it's hard for me trust you with this manga and all. You know that I worry about myself."

"Kagami, it doesn't bug me at all that you are into this. I don't care how you feel about me from now on. I'm just begging that you don't tell anybody."

She sighed. She didn't know what to think, but the best thing to do would be to play along. "Fine. I won't talk."

He bowed greatly to his female friend. "Thank you Kagami. But beware…" He flicked the copyrighted doujinshi around with his hand. "You know the consequences."

She waved her hand around her face. "Yeah, yeah."

* * *

The time had passed and nearly a few steps away from the competition, three female otakus were walking happily during the last few hours of the glorious event. They had a perfect day of doing everything they wanted and even more. Konata felt especially proud though, being able to complete her shopping list thanks to the dedication of her loyal friends. Even the newcomers were able to complete everything efficiently. She would even be able to reap in the benefits of holding her job for a long time. There was only one problem.

"Where'd Kaito and Kagami go?" She asked.

"Kagami did wonder away from us as we went when we went to the Cosplay Corner." Patricia commented.

"Hehehe, she'd of blown her lid of she saw what I did." Konata giggled.

"Oh you don't know the half of it." Hiyori thought, her sketchbook now filled with her ingenious new ideas.

"Don't we have to leave soon?"

"Oh! There's Kaito-kun!" Konata said, pointing in the distance.

The three girls walked up to a very long crowd staring at the large television. She was right, as Kaito was on the stage playing to the last song on the evening. To the side of him was a man with the same amount of focus and dedication he had. He was also in an outfit, but it was different than every other custom-made item. It was a simple business suit, covering him from head to toe. His hair was also dyed blonde, but his hair mopped around his head, with his right eye mainly exposed.

Both of them were playing with great determination as they were mashing away at the peripherals. But the stress Kaito had to deal with was taking his toll. The score was waving in Yagami's favor. But even with him losing, Kaito was able to keep his confidence. He was just happy to be winning in a tournament. He was even playing one of his favorite songs, even if it was incredibly difficult and promoted Satan.

People were in awe even if they couldn't understand the lyrics. They could feel the will and power emitting from the two competitors. Kaito and Hideki strummed away at the confusing notes and cramping three note chords. The main goal each of them had was to keep up their note streaks. The rigorous journey of this popular game tournament was nearing its conclusion.

The track returned to memorable riffed played at the beginning. The singer screamed passionately about promises of rebirth and evil. Upon the last few notes, the two players hit the most memorable power chords of the song. After one quick shift of the hands, the song was over. The results showed that Hideki had won the match by nine thousand points. Kaito sat down in defeat, but atleast he would gain money.

The coordinator raised his opponent's hand in triumph. "And the winner is Yagami Hideki!"

Cheers and applause came from the crowd. But in the back of the gathering, there were different responses.

"Aw…poor Kaito-kun." Konata said. "That game meant a lot to him."

Back at the stage, the official began to speak. "So Hideki, any plans now after winning the event with your new Playstation 3?"

The cosplayer scratched the back of his head innocently. "Well…I actually already own one." Half the crowd nearly face-faulted from the statement. "But I do have proposition."

"What's that?"

"Yasuhiro? Can you stand up?" He asked. Kaito did so without asking, he wanted to see where this was going. "Would you mind if we exchange prizes?"

Those words made Kaito feel revitalized. He was known as a great gaming otaku among his friends, but he never had the best equipment for the title. All he had owned was the Wii and his Playstation 2, but with this opportunity, he could become much more.

He smiled from the humble remarks. "I'd think that would be great." The two exchanged handshakes. This incited more applause from the audience.

The coordinator took this time to comment on their actions. "Isn't this great? The nature of gaming brought together by these graceful competitors! I personally wish to see you for our next Comiket!"

From that statement, more cheers arose from the crowd. But the two men on the stage got drawn into their own conversation.

"Hey man, thanks a lot for the system." Kaito bowed.

"It's no problem. I'm actually quite happy with a cash prize." Hideki said. "But since you own that now, I'd like to ask you a favor."

"Hmm? What's that?"

The winner of the tournament pulled a small slip of paper out of pocket and wrote on it and passed it to Kaito quickly. "When you buy that game, be sure to send me a message. It contains all my information." He slipped off of the stage proudly.

Kaito looked down on the paper looking at the various notes. At least now he would have something to play for the system. As he stepped off the stage, he looked to see his girls all waiting for him. Even Kagami had watched the battle from far away, but she still felt conflicted over the recent incident. He smiled, carrying an extremely large box down the stairs along with all the personal manga he had bought.

"Kaito!" Konata said happily.

Without warning, she gave him tight hug around his waist. Even if he had lost, she had a deep admiration in his gaming skills. The first year students joined in this experience wrapping around their fellow otakus. It should have been the perfect moment for any man in this situation. But through the hugs, Kaito could still see a distressed Kagami. She wasn't particularly excited that her otaku friends could have much more fun than her.

The five of them walked slowly towards the exits. Comiket had ended greatly for Hiyori, Patricia and Konata. The second they would get back home to the Saitama Prefecture, they could enjoy the fruits of the efforts. Weeks worth of fan creations lying in their luggage would keep them occupied. Not to mention, the two cosplayers were sure to earn a bonus from working so hard. And the mangaka had a new source of inspiration for her brilliant works.

Kaito on the other hand, had a great sense of empathy. His tsundere friend felt completely shocked by the event. He had discovered something very personal about her. He didn't question why she joined in with Konata's escapades of buying risky doujins, but now he knew the true reason. Even with her finding that fat-based manga, there were still several positives from the day. But his body just felt corrupted with a horrible shaking feeling. It was as if he opened a cursed treasure chest.

"Yasuhiro Kaito!" A voice screamed from a different side of the building.

The five of them turned their heads to the sound. While everyone was confused, Kaito shamefully placed his hand on his head. It was that damned Inuyasha fan again.

"You have ruined my honor as a gamer and as a man!"

"Is he serious?" Kagami thought. "What did you do to him Kaito…"

"What the?" Hiyori thought.

Kaito wasn't in the mood for play, so he spoke dryly. "Listen. I beat you in a game and I don't like the same things you like. Get over it."

He sneered as he looked over the group. "You don't understand anything. My honor is all I care about! That's why it is a shame to lose to such a heathen as you!"

"Heathen?" He questioned.

"Hanging out with a loli midget and a gaijin, you really don't have any pride, do you?"

"Midget…" Konata mumbled bitterly.

"Gaijin…" Patricia thought hurtfully.

"What kind of otaku is he?" Hiyori questioned.

"Listen, you idiot. Pride is a sin. And people like you who look down on others just because they look different isn't the otaku way! The true way that promotes friendship and creativity, and not this idiotic stuff about my anime is better than your anime. You are mad!"

"That's right!" Konata ranted.

"You listen to him, idiot!" Hiyori said, strangely inspired.

"Fine then." Haro said. He lifted his large, plastic sword over his head. "Have at you!"

He screamed vigorously as he charged towards Kaito. But the Ryoo students were completely perplexed there would be such a human acting this way. They didn't know how to react, but either way, they were irritated. Kaito looked blankly as he looked at his friends.

"Should I beat him up?" He asked plainly.

"You really shouldn't." Kagami imposed.

"Destroy him!" The female otakus chanted.

As the Inuyasha cosplayer moved in for the attack, Kaito already knew what he was going to do. The group already did most of the work for him, as they were walking besides the wall of the building. At full speed, he was ready to possibly hurt Kaito for his petty reasons. A few seconds from contact, the Geese Howard cosplayer simply moved back a step. He extended his left foot thusly.

Within that small time frame…an echo was heard in the building. There was a large thud as the boy tripped over Kaito's foot and straight into the wall. The contact was incredibly damaging, but brief. He began to flail around wildly like a fish gasping for air. He was holding onto his skull hoping he didn't have any permanent damage dealt.

The students looked at him plainly and decided not to move along. While the otakus felt a new source of pride, Kagami simply went with the flow. The passion that these people had clearly could not be controlled. Even if was strange, emotional, trivial, inspiring, dirty, or amazing, their obsession could not be rivaled.

But from that action, Kaito could leave the festival with a smile on his face.

* * *

Wow...that was long. Hopefully this little twist would be giving you readers the conflict you've been looking for. I just hope I can still consider this a T rated story will all the naughty talk. And if you can name several of references though in this chapter, I will definitely applaud you.

Thanks again! I'm going to have a lot more to work with now.


	11. Palutena's Bow

Hey all. Glad I was able to update on time this week. I feel confident about it actually and I'm giving a few of the characters a touch of personality. This chapter is going to be a lot like Chapter 2, it isn't that long but has plenty of conversation. And I would like to state that every scene in this chapter doesn't happen chronologically. You could say that every scene is at the same time, but in different rooms. Just want to clear that up.

On an interesting note I'm be introducing a few more characters that some of you might of notice have been missing. If you know the cast of characters, you should recognize them.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of Lucky Star. I only own Yasuhiro Kaito and the new character introduced.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Palutena's Bow**

School came along too soon for the teenagers of Ryoo. It was a shame they only had one day for breaks instead of two, like most others students around the globe. After Comiket, the five of them were completely worn out. The day dragged on during the first half as the third year students had to fight their mental and physical fatigue. Konata had stayed up through most of the night browsing through her various purchases, while Kaito and Kagami had to deal with dirty secrets poisoning their brains. From this point on everything would be particularly explosive.

At Lunch time, the two of them were on opposite sides of the building. Kaito had to wander to the cafeteria for once. He wasn't concerned at all with his physical needs, so he forgot to make his morning bento. And due to request, he had to spend time with his other friends. Kagami decided to spend some time with her other friends as well. But she wanted to hide, because she thought her otaku friends would be inseparable.

Inside the room of 3-B, Konata, Miyuki, and Tsukasa were eating around a desk as usual. At this point, they were used to the tsundere spending time in her class. But the boy's absence was a little strange. He arrived at the school late, so there wasn't any time to chat. But they decided it was best not to question about these things. Especially since there was a current dilemma at hand.

"Ooo…" Miyuki moaned slowly as she was chewing on her food.

"Something wrong, Yuki-chan?" Tsukasa asked.

The meganekko swallowed before talking. "The dentist found another cavity and I'll have to go after school. I can feel it this time though, so I can understand why I need this."

"You sure go to the dentist a lot Miyuki-san. Do you eat sweets like Kagamin?"

"Not really…"

Konata made a grumpy face. "Well I have no idea." But saying that, she had an interesting thought. "Maybe this is to counteract her perfect body."

Tsukasa remembered something she saw on the television a few nights ago. "I heard if you chew certain kinds of gum; that can help you with your teeth."

"I tried that before Tsukasa-san. Things didn't work out too well."

"Hmm…" The purple haired girl tried to think of a solution for her friend.

"Do the dentists treat you well at least? I'm sure they'd have to give you Novocain or laughing gas to numb the pain." Konata brought up.

Miyuki thought about that statement for a second. She had been going to the same dentist for years but each time she went, she wasn't sure if they had used any of those proper anesthetics. The pain and sound of the drills were the things she absolutely hated about the dentists. Even the thought was causing her tooth to wry around in her mouth.

"I…don't really know for sure."

The two girls made shocked faces from the fact.

"Oh, Miyuki-san! You should be able to sue them for that!" Konata said passionately.

"You think I should sue them?"

Tsukasa sweat dropped from the statement, but agreed. "I think dentists would have to include those things for their patients. It's usually given to me every time before me or Onee-chan has to go."

"Hmm…" Miyuki processed the words into her head. She came to a quick conclusion. "I'll double check today, but if they are not using any of those things, I will have to press charges."

Tsukasa was stunned by her friend's words. Konata was as well, but she had a smile on her face knowing Miyuki might follow her beliefs.

"That's unlike you Yuki-chan." Tsukasa said, clearly surprised.

The taller girl began to explain, speaking in a sterner tone than usual. "I don't like going to the dentist, but I feel if I have been demeaned of something that is required for all patients, I may have to sue the company. I've been going to that place for years. Something like that should have been given to me considering how often I've had surgery. Places as important and painful such as that shouldn't have me go through so much anguish."

"Wow…" Tsukasa said.

Konata smiled as she placed her fingers near her lip. "Hmm…I kind of like this side of Miyuki-san. I really think Kaito-kun and Kagamin should be seeing this…

* * *

In a nearby classroom though, the older Hiiragi twin sighed as she was preparing to eat lunch. The experience with Kaito had made her more self-conscious than ever before. She was always concerned over her appearance and dieting. And now a person in her class had a thing for overweight women. That very same person also happened to be Kaito's friend. There were so many boys in her class though, she wouldn't have a clue.

At least she was safe for now though. Even if it was lunch, she didn't necessarily have to hang out with Konata and company. She decided to stick around with her friends of class 3-C who were currently having their own conversation. They were nice and all, but there was something about Tsukasa's class that had a more natural appeal to it. She glanced over her friends as she mindlessly mixed her chopsticks around her lunch.

The first friend was doing most of the talking prominently due to her loud and energetic personality. She had tan skin that matched with her sharp, short brown hair. As she talked, Kagami would notice a fang from her mouth, giving her strange voice. Her other friend was more normal looking. She had incredibly long, orange hair that was held back with a white headband. Her eyes were blue and her skin was kind of pale, reflecting on her very kind and passive personality. She spent most of the conversation listening and nodding.

Without warning, the brown haired one turned her head and looked at Kagami.

"Don't you agree, Hiiragi?" She said, stretching out her name.

"On what?" The twin-tailed girl startled.

The fanged one frowned and straightened her eyebrows. "You weren't listening to anything I was saying, were you?"

Kagami focused back on her two classmates. "Sorry, Misao. I've just been thinking a lot."

"About what?" She responded quickly.

"Nothing really. It's just kind of personal."

Misao made wry face thinking about how Kagami has been acting for the past couple of weeks. "Oh, I bet I know why…"

"Why's that?" Kagami said, irritation hinting in her voice.

"Well I've been noticing you've been going to Izumi's class more than usual, and there has been talk going around that a boy has been hanging out with you."

The twin-tailed girl felt nailed to the wall with that statement. She didn't think if a boy hang out with her troupe people would already start making those assumptions. People never say those types of things with normal friends, but does gender play that big of a role? She had to counter her friend's statement.

"He's been hanging out with all of us, but that's really it." Kagami dismissed.

"What's he like?" Ayano asked.

"He's very nice, but a total otaku."

Misao felt she needed to stand by the rumors, keeping her smile. "Perhaps otakus are the kind of people Hiiragi needs. Someone to melt that icy heart of yours."

Kagami shook as she formed a fist under her desk, but her other friend came to her side.

"Now, now Misa-chan. No need to come to such a hasty conclusion." Ayano said.

"I am curious though. Why would that boy hang around with you and your friends so suddenly? It just gets me wondering…" Misao said.

"He seems to be happy with all of us, though I don't really know much about if he has other friends. However he is on Konata's wavelength, that's for sure."

From gathering all the facts, Misao had to ask. "Are you sure you aren't an otaku, Hiiragi?"

"No!" She shouted.

"Maybe Hiiragi-chan isn't used to a gentleman like him." Ayano suggested.

"He's not that pure, Ayano. Sure, Yasuhiro is a talented guy but he's kind of mysterious. It feels like he's pretty good at everything normally but I have no idea what he's thinking at all."

"Well if he's an otaku he probably has his sights focused on unreal things."

"I've been around Konata long enough to tell if a person is normal. And Yasuhiro might be an otaku but it feels like he's found some sort of balance."

"If he's like that it sounds like he might be perfect boyfriend material." Misao concluded.

"What?! What makes you think that?" Kagami demanded.

"If you can tolerate him and he's a nice guy, I see no problem in you trying to date him or something. Right?" Her fanged friend debated.

"Well…" Kagami had trouble trying to debunk Misao's thoughts. Kaito was a pretty nice boy overall even with his otaku tendencies. And while he had seemed to have more similarities with Konata, he completely respected and at times, defended Kagami. It was just with this new found discovery; she had this sense of fear. What if he was lying? What will he do now knowing her secrets?

"Oh, I'm right aren't I?!" She said with enthusiasm.

"I don't know Misao." She said bluntly. "It would be too early to think anything like that."

"Oh, phooey." The brown hair girl said defeated.

"That makes me wonder." Kagami began. "If you wonder so much about boys, have you ever asked about Ayano's boyfriend?"

Misao hadn't really thought of that. The two focused their attention on Ayano, who was blushing as she scratched the back of her head. The fact that she had a boyfriend was known but it was never fully looked into. Yet with someone like Kagami, that possibility put the tan skin girl in a complete uproar. She spoke nervously as she looked over her two friends.

"Well…sometimes you don't ask about your friend's relationships. It's best to respect their privacy."

Kagami took those words harshly. "So apparently I'm on a different level."

* * *

On a different side of the school, Kaito was sliding his feet along the floor towards the cafeteria. It was ages since he went there as he would prefer eating whatever he wanted instead of what he was forced too. But at least doing this would distance himself from the perceptive Konata and the temperamental Kagami. He knew them a bit too well after hanging around them for the past couple of weeks. He didn't want to risk anything.

But even his female friends would notice the absence for today; he didn't really care that often. From the call at Comiket, he had been ignoring his other friends. The less time a person spends with his friends, the more they will be out of sync with them. He didn't want to cause any more problems. Not to mention he had all of that fetish manga to deliver. The only thing worse than ladies finding those doujins would be his parents.

He opened the doors briskly as he entered the strange part of the school. There were much more people in the cafeteria than he would think. Nearly every girl he knew would rather pack a lunch than go here. Perhaps he was hanging out with women too much. He looked over the various, but mundane menu with little excitement. He wished he had woken up earlier, cursing the addicting power of all of that fan made work.

Kaito walked into the surprisingly short line for tempura udon. He enjoyed the tastes of both so he hoped the combination would work. He waited patiently as the workers moved between the many lines of students. Getting his food, he felt kind of worried that the bowl would slide off the tray, making the day worse. With the several lines, he also noticed that many of the tables were filled up with chattering students. He knew he would have a hard time finding his friends.

"Yo! Kaito!" A voice said from across the room.

He tilted his slowly, making sure he wouldn't drop his food. Focusing his head he was able to see three enthusiastic, waving arms in his sights. He smirked knowing that day would finally be getting better. He walked over the table swiftly observing the three of them after the view weeks of ignoring them. His childhood friend was sitting on the side, adjusting his glasses. Apparently, he had shaved his head, leaving a large green shadow where all the hair used to be. There were his other two friends sitting across and at his other side. One of them was chubby while the later friend seemed to suffer from popularized 'eyes always shut' syndrome." He placed his tray and down and rest comfortably in his chair.

"Hey there Ryuta. Taichi. Shirashi." He addressed them.

"It's been too long Kaito." The bespectacled teenager said.

"It's only been a few weeks Ryuta." Kaito responded. "No need to get worried over this."

"Well when your friend hangs out with girls like that, you do wonder what they are doing." He said with a slight bit of suggestion.

"Now now, there's no need to get into that." Kaito dismissed.

"Hmm. You hang out with Izumi, right Kaito-san?"

"That's right Minoru. Izumi, Takara and the Hiiragi twins all kind of hang out together. You could say Konata did bring me into their circle though."

"Nice work there, Kaito." Taichi complimented.

He nodded at his portly friend. "Oh yeah, it's been very pleasant."

Ryuta made turned his hands into fists as he looked at Kaito. "Ok, you have to tell us. Are you going out with any of them?"

"Nope. Not yet." He said plainly.

The three of his friends turned their heads down in shame.

"Ah…come on Kaito-kun." Ryuta complained. "You have to have something for one of them."

"Well I have gone over them and they are all pretty great. Konata is probably the otaku girl I've been looking for. She probably more of an obsessive person than any of us. Not to mention she's incredibly cute with all that long hair. Kagami might seem like a mean person, but kind at heart. She's very caring and smart and she's undoubtedly cute. And Miyuki is clearly one of the hottest girls in the school. But she surprisingly very intelligent and polite. It's just amazing how all these women are set up in such wonderful package."

"What about Tsukasa?" Taichi commented. "I always thought she was kind of cute."

"Well, she is. It's just that she doesn't have too much working for her. She seems very dependant on other people. It's not something very appealing to me."

"You are definitely a lucky one Yasuhiro." Minoru said. "Are you considering any of the girls though?"

"Well of course I am. That's what a man does. He decides on what he really wants, but let me tell you something you don't know. Apparently Konata is friends with more girl otakus."

"No way." Ryuta said.

"I'm serious! There's two of them that she introduced me to. One of them is also really cute as she has this really long black hair and glasses. But she also draws yuri and it's fantastic stuff. And the other one is that exchange student. She's really hot. When we went to Comiket she was wearing that revealing outfit Mikuru wore in Episode 00. That image was in my mind all day."

"I'm really jealous of you now Kaito." Taichi said. "So much to do…so little time."

"That's something that worries me though. If I pair up with one of them, will I have to worry about any of them hating me?"

"Friends aren't like that." Shirashi said. "I don't think you ending up with Konata or Miyuki would cause any problems."

"Well it's not only that, but I kind of feel like they all deserve someone special to be with, you know? It's global fact that otakus need love and I'm only one man."

"Well, I wish I could help you out." Ryuta said. "But I have a thing for that brown haired girl in my class. I just haven't had the courage to ask her out."

The two of them glanced at Taichi, who spoke hastily. "Don't look at me; I'm in no position to be getting into relationships."

"Same." Shirashi said in a somber tone.

"I actually think you'd be great for Miyuki-san, Minoru. You both are extremely polite, you should work perfect together."

"Trust me Kaito. I would love to go out with our beautiful class representative. But I just don't think it would work out."

"Suit yourself." He sighed.

"Oh yeah Kaito, how was Comiket?"

"You don't want to know…"

"Why not?" All three of them asked.

"Well let me start out on a good note. A bought a ton of doujinshi and had fun. Because of a bet with Konata, I had to cosplay as someone and I chose Geese Howard. There are a couple of pictures of us that I can show you later. Konata dressed as Haruhi though, so it was pretty nice. Not only did I participate in a Guitar Hero competition, but I did very well and won a PS3. And I got to beat up a Inuyasha cosplayer who insulted us."

"A Playstation 3?! Very nice!" Minoru said.

"So what was bad about it?" Taichi asked.

"Ryuta…"

"Yes?"

"Prepare yourself." Kaito took a pause. "Kagami found that manga you wanted."

"WHAT?!" He screamed.

"I know. She exploded when she saw it all. And I got blamed for it."

"So how did that end up?" He said, cringing in anticipation.

"Well she won't tell anyone. I found out something about her that's very embarrassing. But I'm worried she'll be suspecting things about me."

The glasses wearing boy sighed in relief. "You are a true friend Kaito."

"Trust me, I hope Kagami still likes me after all this." He said. "And take your manga."

Ryuta made an innocent sweat drop as he began shifting the manga from his friend's bag to his own. Shirashi didn't really want to comment on the situation. He didn't want to know about the dirty things the two otakus were interested in. Taichi on the other hand, was snickering a little bit over the situation. His three friends looked sharply at him.

"Oh?" He said surprised. "Sorry, I was just thinking about something funny."

"Must be pretty funny knowing how it put my reputation on the line." Kaito said bitterly.

"I was just thinking about something that happened between me and Hiiragi on our trip to Kyoto and Nara."

"Go on." Ryuta said, nodding his head.

"Well, in this one store she bought Yatsuhashi doll that I was too scared to buy. So I confronted her late at night asking for it. She thought it was some big thing but I thought it was kind of funny over all. Her face was blank that following day."

The three looked at him blankly.

"Oi, Taichi." Kaito began. "That's not really funny. I mean, when I went to Disneyworld a few years ago I bought every piece of Stitch merchandise that I could. But you can't even find the courage to by a simple doll, so you ask for it from a girl in your class? That's actually kind of sad."

Taichi pouted as he looked away while Ryuta and Minoru grinned over the transaction. Kaito smiled and began to focus on his lukewarm udon. He was glad to talk to the guys once again.

* * *

Hehe, though you all would enjoy that final scene. You probably wanted to tell off that guy while watching Episode 21 as well.

Now on the subject of Kaito having friends. It kind of negates the feeling of loneliness he may have appeared to have, but I decided not to take that route. One problem I have a lot with Romance/Ecchi series with one male protagonist, is that the same guy is extreme socially awkward/lonely/has no male friends or only one friend at all. It just really irritates me. And even if they have a friend, it's the same kind of friend. I just thought I'd break that stereotype a little because you should have friends of the same gender, no matter who you are.

Anyway, please review! (Btw, Lucky Star had an episode called Pandora's Box, so I thought I could have fun with the title of this chapter)


	12. Fallin' Through Paper Body Parts

Wow, this was a long chapter. I had to mend around a lot with the plot of this chapter, so it was a bit hard to write. And I wrote basically all of this in one day. Several changes were made, but I feel satisfied overall.

On a serious note, this is probably another crucial chapter for the story. It touches up on one of Konata's flaws and has some very long dialogue. You fans might have been waiting for some more development, and I feel like this is what you've been waiting for. It's much bigger than what happened in Chapter 10. Critique would really be appreciated here.

Disclaimer: Lucky Star is owned by Kagami Yoshimizu.

* * *

**Chapter 12: Fallin' Through Paper Body Parts**

It was a very lazy Saturday afternoon in the streets of Tokyo. School had ended for the day, beginning the small time of relaxation that all Japanese students needed. Many of those teenagers would go home and start up their homework, but others would instantly start their time by going out and having fun.

For two otaku students, that was clearly the case. Konata and Kaito had a very long week of adjusting to the normality of student living. Comiket's mind altering effects were still heavy in their minds and hearts. It was a shame that it was only twice every year. Yet even after going to the massive event, they still had a craving for the constantly updating mainstream manga at the various shops.

They walked out of Gamerz triumphantly with large bags of copyrighted materials. The two students were smiling immensely knowing they'll be able to add even more books to the piles of unread doujinshi. It was amazing they had such stockpiles of money for their obsessions. The two were walking slowly, as Kaito began pushing multiple buttons on his chocolate colored cell phone. He glanced at his friend as he closed the device.

"Thanks for supplying me with everyone's numbers, Kona-chan. I never took the time to ask."

"No problem. It was kind of embarrassing for me to get a phone call while we were shopping."

"I should have expected you would have that type of ring tone."

"It's a popular song."

"Oh yeah, it was Kagami who called you, right? Did she want you to buy something?"

"Kagamin would never ask me to buy _her_ manga…I'd never let her live it down."

Kaito made a small sweat drop, dealing with those kinds of threats already. "So what did she need? Your phone was turned up a bit loud, so I could hear that my name was mentioned."

"She just wants you to go to her house to pick up your PS2. She told me she dealt with something scary and needs to give you the game and console back."

"Poor girl is probably dealing with the pain of Misirlou." Kaito thought to himself.

At that moment, the two students were hit with a very strange occurrence. Simultaneously, both of their stomachs quaked in such a manner that everyone ten feet around them could hear it. Konata and Kaito looked at each other blankly over the experience. However, they shrugged it off, coming to the same conclusion.

"You want to go get something to eat?" Kaito suggested.

"Nah, my dad worries if I'm out too long when I'm not working."

"I could use something though. I don't necessarily get the best food at home."

Konata turned her head slowly around the bustling streets. Surely there would be something to eat that wouldn't require sitting in a building. She was successful however, seeing a fairly small FamilyMart amongst most of the other buildings. The blue haired girl pointed at the convenience store.

"Let's get a snack from there."

"Sure." Kaito nodded.

The two walked through the crowded masses to the shop filled with various snacks. Automatic doors welcomed them into the store as they stepped onto black squares. Konata and Kaito went to different sides of the building, the girl aimed for pastries while the boy searched through many boxes of candy. Kaito looked over every box curiously, trying to find the best one. He grinned as he grabbed two boxes of a particular candy. It was filled with pillow-shaped, bite sized pieces of dark chocolate filled with rice crispies.

Konata immediately knew what she wanted. It was something she had eaten already for lunch that very day. She enjoyed eating choco cornets so much. But as she looked through the spiraled deserts, one of the plastic bags caught her eye. It was a cornet that was tied to a second cornet by their thin ends. The two fat ends had different fillings as well, one with milk chocolate, the other with white.

Both of them walked to the middle of the store where the clerk was located. They were very pleased as the three treats rang up on the register.

"Your total is 580 yen." The clerk said.

Kaito took it upon himself to pay for the food. Konata had spent much more money than him. It was also the man's responsibility to cover food payment. He pulled out his wallet with confidence as he was ready to pay. But his fingers discovered something horrible as they dived into the main pocket.

No bills were located in the wallet. This was incredibly hard for the boy. Not only was there no money, but he couldn't show any emotion or fast movements. Konata would quickly realize that. The boy however was able to find a shining lifesaver. It was a random present given to him by his friend Taichi. Kaito pulled out the card with vigor and relief.

But as Kaito felt happy once again, Konata was in shock. A fellow otaku spending snack money on QUO card?! The clerk swiped it quickly and handed it back to the teenager, as she placed the three items in the bag. She waved at them kindly as they left the store. Konata held onto the bag as Kaito already dug into one of his boxes of sweet candy.

"Oi, Kaito…" Konata said hoarse tone.

"Mmm, yeah Konata?" He responded with some chocolate in his mouth.

"What was _that_?!" She demanded in an angry voice.

The boy was startled as his small otaku friend looked at him in undiscovered anger. Kaito had never seen her lovely emerald eyes in sharp, piercing fashion. He wouldn't know what to expect. The girl he really connected with was unbelievably mad for the first time he had ever seen. And he had already dealt with Kagami's wrath, what could Konata's fury possibly be?

"How dare you spend a QUO card!" She screeched.

"Whoa, whoa, what?" Kaito could only say in disbelief.

"I thought you were a true otaku, Kaito. Using a card so impurely like that was truly a disgrace."

"I'm sorry Kona-chan. I ran out of money after Gamerz, so I just used that card to pay for our food instead."

"That's no excuse! You could have asked me to pay!"

"I couldn't! It's a man's duty to pay for the lady's meal!"

"But an otaku's pride should matter when using a QUO card! Don't you know how to use them properly!?" She demanded.

"Well, I know that QUO cards have collection value. But they also naturally have money on them, so I thought it would be best to use them for their purpose."

"A QUO card's purpose is to be collected and treasured! You can apply that with everything an otaku would need!"

"You can read a comic, you can decorate a figurine. QUO cards can only be spent and then collected."

"Don't you understand that by spending them that you're defiling their true purpose? Collecting them it all that people care about! That's why I always get three!"

"But they are prepa…" Kaito stopped as those last words echoed in his head. "You buy three QUO cards?"

"Mmhmm." She said, some happiness in her voice.

"That's stupid." He said bluntly. "You don't even spend them, and you buy three of them!?"

"You buy three of them for a specific reason. One is for pure collection and to be safely guarded and maintained. The second is used to be observed."

"So why would you need a third…"

"Simply as an extra. You buy extras of things you enjoy, don't you?"

"No." He said plainly. Konata looked at him in shock.

"What kind of person are you?!"

"I'm not a moron! Buying three mangas makes sense in case you ever want to sell them or give them as a gift. Buying a QUO card for collection purposes is a strange, but buying three of them? Without even using all that prepared money? Buying three of them is just plain insane!"

"So…" She said hurtfully, but with the rage still inside her body. "I'm an insane moron eh?"

Kaito growled at the statement. He should of known she would of taken that route with that kind of comeback. This wasn't going to end well.

"You are just wasteful, Konata."

"Hmmf." Konata pouted.

At that moment, they had arrived at the train that would take them back to the Saitama Prefecture. Kaito with a heavy heart walked into one side of the car, but he realized Konata hadn't followed him. He quickly got out, seeing that she would get into a different part of the transportation vessel. She glared daggers at him as she slowly walked into the train. She rasped the following words at the boy.

"Kaito. Don't follow me."

"But…Kona-chan…" His voice weakening.

"You heard me." She said, walking into the train.

Kaito walked back into his own car, going to the farthest seat from the door. He had made a royal mistake. He flipped out his cell phone, looking at various names that he just added. This was very bad for him. He didn't want to risky such a thing over such a trivial squabble. Maybe talking to her would help.

* * *

In about half an hour, Kaito was at his destination. It was a good thing he learned where she lived from the early morning of Comiket. He looked along the place with more detail now that he wasn't in a hurry. It was a nice, peaceful place with large trees and shrubbery surrounding the area. He walked up the stone stairs noticing the wonderfully decorated red gates. Looking over the shrine, he reflected over his own mental beliefs.

Shintoism was something that didn't require much thought. Like most kids he enjoyed celebrating in the local festivals or the climax around New Years Eve. However, he strangely didn't know much about the practice of the religion itself. He did know however that the belief system did incorporate peace and nature. That was something he needed desperately at this point. It was strange though. How a place of purity and tranquility could house such a fiery, young teenager.

He walked to the door, completely mixed with feelings. He needed comfort and support after his conflict. Yet he made the fatal flaw of not calling ahead, even after learning their cell phone numbers. It was possible suicide if the wrong person had opened that door. A teenaged boy approaching a house to talk to a girl in the afternoon? Any familiar member would freak out.

Kaito extended his hand slowly to knock on the door. He hoped for the best that Kagami or Tsukasa would find their classmate needing comfort. It was rude enough that he didn't call, but barging in would be out of the question. The door slowly slid as Kaito bit on to his lip. After it completely moved to the side, Kaito looked in surprise to see a completely different face at the door.

She had looked older than the Hiiragi twins, but only by a few years. She had nearly rivaled Kaito's height by a few centimeters. Her hair was short, painted in a strange colorful fusion of red and violet. She wore a white, lacy shirt with a green sweater over her arms. From the lower half she had on a long, blue skirt matching the color of her eyes. She was also surprised, but welcomed the boy nonetheless.

"Hello there." She said politely. "Do you need something?"

"Um…" Kaito said innocently. "Uh, yes. Is Kagami here?"

"Yeah." She glanced at him. "Why do you ask?"

"Damn…" He thought. "I knew this was going to happen." He spoke regularly after his thoughts. "Oh, I just had lent her a game so I decided to come pick it up."

"Is it that guitar one?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, so you lent her the game!" She said with new enthusiasm. "Please, come in."

Kaito entered the house hesitantly, but happy that would at least get this far. He slipped off his shoes as he walked through the main hallway of the large, traditional house. It was good to know that other people enjoyed the import game. Especially to this unknown, yet very becoming young lady. She continued to explain the joys of the game.

"Kagami has had a lot of fun playing it. I tried it myself, but I couldn't get far at all."

"That's nice. Oh yeah, and I'd hate to ask but who are you exactly?"

"I'm Kagami's older sister, Inori. It's good to meet you." She bowed politely.

He responded back with a bow of his own. "Yasuhiro Kaito. Thank you. I didn't know Kagami had another sister other than Tsukasa."

"Well I'm not the only one. Our middle sister, Matsuri is off taking college courses at the moment. Tsukasa isn't here either though; did you only want to speak to Kagami?"

"Yeah. Where is her room?"

The two stopped in the hallway to a door on the left of them. Inori knocked on it slowly as she spoke softly. "Kagami, you have a visitor."

"Ok." She said plainly.

Kaito took a deep breath as he was prepared to make a huge jump. He slid the door quickly as he entered in swiftly one leg at a time. He glanced over to see his twin-tailed friend lazily reading into a normal manga book. Once she looked at her guest, her façade shifted instantaneously from calm to frenzied. Kaito feared for his safety as he didn't want to deal with similar situation to that of Konata's. Inori slowly closed the door, yet left enough room for her eyes to look in on the situation. It was a very nice plus for traditional houses.

"Oi, Kaito-san! What are you doing here?!" Kagami demanded.

"Sorry Kagami. Kona-chan told me that you didn't want to borrow the game any longer, so I came by to pick it up."

"Oh…" She said, lowering her voice a bit. Kaito sat down realizing he would be safer here. She pointed to a corner of her room, with the familiar fat, black rectangle of a console and the SG controller. "Go ahead and take it when you leave."

"Your sister told me you were having fun with it. Why give it back?"

She sighed. "It's kind of a strange story."

"I have time to kill…"

She had trouble looking at him. It was hard to tell what Kagami was feeling at the moment. "I…I had this dream."

"A dream?" Kaito asked.

"A dream?" Inori thought. "Kagami never mentioned that today."

"Well, do you know that last song in the game? The one that starts off very slowly and that goes incredibly fast after five minutes?"

"Ah yes. That's a fun song."

"Well in my dream. I was in my room but it was completely black except for me and the game. I was playing that song with all of my might as I struggled through the painful solos. But then after much time of trying, I finally beat the song on expert."

"That's good."

"No. No it isn't." Her mood shifting towards her more defensive side. "After I beat the song I went to school. We took this test that I was completely unprepared for. A few minutes later I got a failing grade. Then Sakuraba-sensei walked up to me and began to rant. She began to say that ever since I received that game, that I had been neglecting my school work and everything I had worked on up to that point."

"I see…" Kaito nodded.

"But then it got worse. She then said how the game playing also made my looks go down the drain. And when I looked down, I saw that serafuku was riding up on my body extremely tightly. Every part of my body just became more round and large until I something absolutely horrible. And as she said that, everyone was laughing their head off as I tried to cover up my fat body. Even you and Konata were laughing at my misery."

"Oh." Kaito could only say.

"Kagami's weight is that big of an issue?" Her older sister thought to herself.

"I'm sorry Kagami. I wish I could help." The boy said sympathetically.

"Hmmf." She grunted. "Yeah, yeah."

Kaito was stunned by her dismissal. "What's wrong?"

"Come now, Kaito." She looked at him coldly. "Ever since that day, when I found out about that dirty manga you bought at Comiket…things just changed. I had to think about everything you said since we had met. It felt like you betrayed me. Especially since you suggested that I tried a new diet to lose weight."

"So he's why Kagami tried that different system…" Inori continued to watch on.

"And you know what? I didn't lose weight. I don't even think my body changed at all."

Kaito felt puzzled by everything, but kept up a defensive front. "Well, if your weight didn't change then that would be a good thing. Or maybe you might have gotten some muscle instead of fat since that technically weighs more."

"Maybe. But still, you telling me what to do with my weight? And then me finding those that you bought for a friend you won't speak of?"

He responded back bluntly. "Kagami. I'm not into that sort of thing."

"So why did you even own those things?!"

"What's with this boy?" Inori thought.

Kaito had to move the subject. He wanted to focus on the main reason he came to the Hiiragi house anyway. "Man, I already have enough problems to deal with today. I don't want to cover over this again?"

"Like what?" Kagami asked.

"I got into a fight with Konata…" He said slowly as he curled his legs closer to his body. The tsundere could feel the shame emitting from the otaku.

"About what?" She asked, her tone lightening up.

"It was over the stupidest thing. QUO cards."

Kagami slowly nodded and smirked over the statement. Konata had early on in their friendship had explained the importance of every little otaku detail. QUO cards were no exception to that rule. Instead of arguing, she allowed her tiny friend to go on with buying three of every single one of those pieces of plastic. It at least gave her the responsibility of owning a job.

"Hehe, she does get obsessive over that sort of thing."

"Well, it's just that I never knew. And I used one in her presence as we bought some snacks to take home."

"I see. So what happened?"

"She just completely went off on a rant how I was ruining the sanctity of those cards." He glared at Kagami. "Can you believe she doesn't even spend the pre-paid money on the cards?! It's like throwing your money away!"

The girl was thrown off a bit from the response. "Well I can understand it from your point of view. But I thought otakus cared for that sort of pride."

"I just thought it was a waste of money. And things just then got completely out of control and we basically left on different train cars."

"Oh…" Kagami looked away, knowing now that Kaito was capable about such guilt.

"I never thought Konata could get worked up over such a thing. And now I feel like things could crumble from here."

"Poor kid…" The older sister thought as she was eavesdropping.

"Things would get better Kaito-san." She comforted.

"But what if they don't?" He said with the tension still building up inside him. "Did you by any chance tell her what happened at Comiket?"

Her rage geared into motion once again. "Of course not! Why must you think about such things, especially when you are worried about your friends?! Besides, have you caught up on my part of the deal?!"

"Deals?"

"Sorry Kagami." He said, looking down on the hardwood floor. "It was wrong for me to say that about you. You have your own problems."

The girl began to show her deredere side after his began to speak softly. "Wow, you are really shaken up on this aren't you?"

He placed his limbs down on the floor as he directly looked at his friend. His eyes were shaky and blinking constantly, trying to deal with the flood of emotions coming from him. Kagami wasn't exactly sure how to handle this. Tsukasa might come whining to her twin from time to time, but this was a much different situation.

"Kagami…"

"Yes?"

In a quick burst of speed, he moved his knees forward as he wrapped her arms around her. He placed his head next to hers, partially resting his chin on her shoulder. Kagami blushed as she wasn't expecting this thing at all. A simple game retrieval turning into such a monumental moment? The teenager hugging her felt completely unnecessary but soothing at the same time. They were both confessing things at the time. Inori looked on in awe and amazement. Her sister was having a romantic moment right before her very eyes. She wanted to interfere, but she just couldn't ruin the atmosphere.

"Kaito-san…" She squeaked.

"Kagami, I don't ever want to lose you as a friend. You and Kona-chan are just so precious to me…I would be a fool to ignore you. I don't ever want to do anything to hurt you!"

The twin-tailed girl felt even more confused than ever before. This feeling of devotion had felt so foreign to her. But now, Kaito had admitted that he had cared dearly for Konata and herself. She was used to Tsukasa and Miyuki caring this much, but a boy? Someone they had known for a miniscule amount of time compared anyone else? The emotion coming from his body was being melting away at Kagami's tough exterior.

When she was embraced by the hug, she didn't know how to react. Her arms had been freely in the air the entire time. However, she knew now where to rest her limbs. They slid slowly from Kaito's sides towards his back. He smiled, knowing how his tsundere friend could now understand the pain writhing in him. He might of carried too deeply for this, but the fear of losing great female friends like them would be too much to bare.

On a different side of the wall, Inori watched as her sibling and the boy hugged. She smiled immensely seeing such a lovely spectacle before her eyes. She sighed happily knowing that Kagami had good friends.

"Aww…" She thought as she watched the two. "Kagami sure is lucky. Someone cute like him being all attached to her? Definitely makes me want to see where this is going."

But the happiness didn't last long. From the side of Kaito's pocket, the room echoed in the sounds of a hardcore, melodic death metal guitar riff.

The two backed away still blushing at the incredible experience. They had a hard time looking at each other, too embarrassed to comment. Kagami simply looked over her manga, while Kaito tended to his vibrating cell phone. As he flipped it open, the guitar ended, introducing a new voice.

"Hello?" Kaito said.

"Kaito-kun?" A weak voice said from the other side of the phone.

"Oh, Kona-chan. How are you?"

"Hmm? Konata called?" Kagami asked.

"I'm fine. Hey listen, I just wanted to apologize for what happened earlier."

"Oh?" Kaito questioned with new found enthusiasm.

"Yeah. It was silly of me to argue over the QUO cards."

"Hehe, its fine."

"Everyone has their own way of collecting things. I shouldn't bother you for using the cards for one of their wonderful purposes."

As much as Kaito wanted to say on that, he simply brushed it's off. "It's fine. You make enough money, you can spend that money freely."

"A little too complimentary, eh, Yasuhiro?" Kagami grinned from the conversation. Kaito motioned telling her to keep quiet and to ignore everything.

"Oi, is Kagamin with you?"

"Yeah, she is. I went to pick up the game."

"Oh, well this is perfect. I was actually thinking about inviting you to come shopping with me again tomorrow. But I want you to meet up at my café."

"Really?" He said. He really wanted to go to that cosplay café and he finally now how the opportunity. After Comiket, he definitely needed to see Konata and Patricia in more cute outfits.

"Sure, I can do that." He covered the bottom part of the phone. "You want to come Kagami?"

"Yeah, me and Tsukasa can probably go."

"Ok then, Kona-chan. We'll be coming."

"That's good. Invite anyone else you can. See you tomorrow!"

"Good bye!"

Kaito said as he pressed the end button on his cell phone. The two friends smiled at each other knowing they'll have a day of great fun. He went towards the corner of the room, trying to balance his games and purchases all at the same time. But as he tried to hold everything together, he noticed something very off about the door.

"Oi…is the door supposed to be open like that?"

Kagami glanced at the door, also seeing that it was slightly cracked open. She blushed even more as she began flailing her arms like crazy.

"_Inori_!" She screamed.

At the moment, the older sister panicked realizing she had been caught. She took the opportunity to run to a different side of the house. Predictably, Kagami pushed her door open trying to find her red-violet haired sister. Kaito felt a bit uneasy as he left the house from that day. His emotions were discovered by some random girl, but at least he was now safe in the hearts of his friends.

* * *

Nothing much to say here...Chapter 13 will probably be more balanced as I have planned that one out for a good amount of time. I also wonder how many people have spotted the various references in the story...but that can be for another time.

Thanks for Reading and Please Review!


	13. Across The Nightmare

Hey everyone. Glad I was able to post this chapter in time. College is really trying to kill me with all the work I have to do over the week. For this chapter, I had little fun with the referencing, but I hope I didn't go overboard. Even if the chapter is based on Cosplaying/Akihabara. Anime is very crucial around this time, especially with the new April Releases. There's a few I can't wait to see soon. I really have to thank Luster for finding tons of errors I made during the first scene. Curse you Word! I wish you were more useful!

Please Enjoy and Review!

Disclaimer: Lucky Star is owned by Kagami Yoshimizu. Kaito Yasuhiro and Ryuta are the only characters I own.

* * *

****

Chapter 13: Across The Nightmare

"Do you remember the place, Onee-chan?" Tsukasa asked.

"Yeah, I was sure to take down specific notes this time." Kagami responded.

Many teenagers from Ryoo High School walked through the bustling population of Japan. Konata had requested that all of her friends spend their Sunday with her. And the first thing they needed to do was stop at the otaku girl's cosplay café. Even though the Hiiragi twins had gone before, it was confusing to remember due to the similarity of the buildings.

"I've been waiting for this moment for awhile. I've always wondered what a cosplay café could be like. But the fact that some of my friend's are in it? Oh, that's just going to make this moment all the sweeter…" Kaito said.

Kagami sweat dropped. "It's not that special, Kaito."

"A meal and a show are always special." He retorted.

"Indeed, Kaito-sempai." Hiyori said, carrying a large bag with her. "Such events like this are the perfect opportunity to find inspiration!"

"You haven't gone to one of these places Hiyori-chan?"

"Of course I have. The great thing is that they are always changing things up and you won't have any idea what to expect."

"Sounds like my kind of place."

"What should we do after leaving the café?" Kagami asked.

"I'm up for anything really." Tsukasa said.

"I'd like to do something where I don't have to spend so much money." Kaito said plainly. "I was here yesterday, that put a good dent in my funds."

"Even after Comiket? Thought you would have more self control than that." Kagami mentioned.

"Comiket…" Tsukasa shivered. She remembered that experience far too well.

"You simply can't neglect on the mass marketed things. The main point of the comic festival was to learn about new and exciting artists! Even with tons of books, you can't ignore your regulars."

"Well, that does make sense." Kagami said.

"Ah…she's warming up to me." Kaito thought after hearing her words.

"Perhaps we should go to an arcade." Hiyori suggested.

The younger Hiiragi twin made a delightful squeak hearing that. "I haven't been to an arcade in a long time! I love to play those UFO grabbing machines."

"Sounds like a plan." Kagami said.

The four of them smiled after figuring out what to do for the rest of the day. The only thing they had to do now was to get through the crowded area without error. It was crowded enough to go on any day of the week, but Sunday? That was when all students could stop their studies and truly enjoy the wonders of life. However, in a busy country like this, that could be a dangerous combination. Especially since everybody has different ways of enjoy life.

"Oi! Stand still!" A voice randomly commanded.

The group halted from the strange voice. The voice got closer as it was followed by the sound repeating clicks. Tsukasa cowered, while the other three instantly felt a sense of displeasure. For within the sea of people, there was a lone otaku with a camera with an extended lens. It was focused on the scared girl and even followed her as she tried to shrink herself.

"It's the Kamigishi girl! Oh, I need pictures!"

"Ugh…" Kagami thought. "Not this again."

"Oh, I hope he isn't looking at me." Hiyori whimpered.

"Tsukasa should be doing something…" Kaito thought. "May as well stop him though, the girls will think higher of me if I do it."

He spoke clearly now. "Oy, Kagami. I'll meet you at the café."

"Huh?" She said, not focusing too much on him.

Kaito moved closer to the rude photographer. He stood in front of Tsukasa defensively trying to cover any part of her body at all, even if the man was a mere five feet away.

"Sir, can you please stop that?"

The otaku didn't listen. He just searched around trying to get a better shot of Tsukasa.

"You know, you could get her permission before taking these pictures." He said dryly.

His words worked to no avail. With every single click, Kaito's patience wore thinner and thinner. He didn't really want to do this to the poor man, but he didn't want this day to be ruined. And since Tsukasa couldn't do anything on her own…

"Yoink!" He said loudly.

Without warning, he grabbed the camera and its strap from the otaku's neck. He sidestepped quickly and ran into the nearby Gamers shop for cover. Without his device, he panicked and pursued Kaito into the store. The three girls looked at the experience completely dumbfounded. This offense could easily get Kaito in trouble with the police. With the boy distracted though, they could safely make it to the café without any more interruptions.

"Stop! Thief!" The otaku wailed as Kaito pushed through many the shoppers in the store. Stealing the camera wasn't the best plan, but it would definitely keep Tsukasa safe. All he had to do now was to get out of the otaku's sights. Reaching a wall, he turned towards the west side of the building to lose him. However, he began to catch up due to the lack of racks of books. He had reached a second wall, causing him to a dash towards an aisle leading out of the store.

Kaito didn't have a choice now to lose the otaku. He kicked his movement into high gear as he came by the exit. But doing so, he tossed the camera high into the air. The otaku shifted his gaze towards the descending device. He slid on the floor while extending his arms. The camera fell safely in his hands, causing him to sigh with relief. But the teenager he was chasing was long gone.

* * *

On the third floor of a particular building, Kagami, Tsukasa and Hiyori were all gathered around an advertised door. The Hiiragi sisters felt hesitant entering into the room again. They were still very foreign to the concept of costumed service. The meganekko however was quite thrilled to see her friends dress up and entertain for her. She already had her sketch book ready to pass the time.

The tsundere slowly opened the door to see an anxious Konata waiting for them. She was wearing a red shirt with a black leather vest covering over it. From the waist down she was wearing a matching black miniskirt and a pair of stockings held up by a pyramid-studded belt. Her hair kept it's long flow, but it was designed so there were two small tails coming from the sides. She bowed to them and greeted.

"Welcome back, master!" She said enthusiastically.

"You never get tired of that, do you?" Kagami said plainly.

"Nope!" She smiled looking at her guests. "Oh, Hiyorin, it's nice to see you again."

"Same, Konata-sempai."

Her expression drooped though, noticing someone is missing. "Where's Kaito-kun?"

Kagami sighed. "It's hard to explain. He won't be long though."

"Ah, ok then." Konata looked to a different side of the hallway and began to shout. "Oi! Patty-chan! Kaito isn't here yet!"

"Really? Should I still stay in position?"

"Yeah, he'll get here soon! Best stay on your feet!"

"Oh…Kona-chan." Tsukasa said worried. "What exactly do you have planned?"

"Just wait and see. While you wait, I'll take you to a table."

The cosplayer guided the three to one of the cozy tables. It was decorated much differently than the last time they had went. Everything had more of a 17th centaury gothic appeal to it with black all over the place. Several posters were in tact though of recent and upcoming anime that was presented amongst the place. Hiyori was in awe of the design while Tsukasa looked a bit frightened. It appeared as if anything could jump out of the shadows.

But as they were getting acquainted…

Two floors down there was an exhausted Kaito hiding by closed doors. That was a horribly dangerous risk he took. If things became uglier he would have to deal with a cop taking him away. He hoped though that he had entered the correct building. According to Kagami, he had to go up to the third floor by a clearly labeled door. He wasn't too sure what to expect since all every café had an interesting variety of entertainment.

He breathed heavily in anticipation as he came up to the door. It was fully decorated with advertisements and pictures of most of the workers. He grinned seeing Konata in her classic Haruhi attire. With confidence, he knocked onto the door.

From the other side, a girl in a black leather jacket with matching hair and jeans watched the boy from a keyhole. She sprinted towards the main room and informed everyone.

"The boy is here!"

Konata switched to a serious tone. "Someone tone dim the lights! Everyone get ready!"

Kagami looked puzzled. "What exactly are they doing…?"

After a good minute, there still was no one responding to Kaito's knock. He knew though that his friends had to be in there. He opened the door slowly as he entered into the restaurant. It was barely illuminated, making Kaito feel nervous as he walked down the small hallway. He turned to see that the larger room was lit better, but it was still hard to see any of the guests. He felt disappointed if this was really what the cosplay café experience was like.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

In the quick flash, the lights went to full power, blinding Kaito's adjusted eyes. A voice screamed from a side of room.

**_"RAITO!"_**

Kaito turned his head to the sound, but saw something very different than what he expected. At that moment, the only thing he could do was lower his jaw, as Patricia was in mid-air, ready to playfully tackle him. Upon contact with airborne girl, Kaito was taken to the ground. It gained the attention of everyone in the room. He was completely mesmerized from the event.

Regaining focus, he widened his eyes to see a smiling Patricia holding his arms still. However, he still had enough room to move his head. She was wearing a very lovely little black dress with matching, lacy gothic sleeves and stockings. From the top he saw a dangling cross necklace along with a black choker around her neck. Slowly ascending he was amazed that the top part of her dress exposed her skin. He finally came face to face with the foreigner, seeing her hair with symmetrical side-tails.

Patricia went on with her performance. "Oh, Raito-kun! I just couldn't wait for you to finally come back! I wanted to go to your place; I missed you so badly…"

Kaito was completely stunned. The only thing he could do was think about the situation.

"This is the first time in my life that I've ever seriously wanted a girl. I can't believe Patricia-san would go to all this work just to jump on me and re-create this scene…but I can't tell if this is just for the fans or for me. It might be the outfit, it might be her breasts, but she just seems to have this incredibly warm feeling."

Kaito blushed and tried to look away, even with his situation. Things just became much more confusing than he expected. Were cosplay cafes usually like this? It was incredibly satisfying for him that Patricia-san of all people would be so close to him, but it was just all too sudden. And he had also had to deal with nearly everyone in the room staring at him, especially Kagami, Hiyori and Tsukasa.

The two of them stood up going to completely different sides of the room. Kaito felt a mix of pleasure and devastation sitting in a table beside the three girls. Kagami was amazed they would go to such measures for their job. Hiyori and Tsukasa, like everyone else in the café, were quite entertained. Patricia smirked at Konata as they flashed thumbs up at each other. They walked over to their astonished friends. Noticing this, Hiyori gave Kaito some company and sat by his table.

"So what did you think of our little performance?" Konata said confidently.

"It was definitely…interesting." Kagami stated. "Are you allowed to do such things to the customers?"

"Probably not." The short cosplayer said, causing the Hiiragis to sweat drop. "But I'm sure Kaito-kun was in good spirits about it."

Kaito's train of thought derailed at that moment. "What?"

Patricia looked at the boy coyly. "Did you enjoy my service, Kaito-san?"

He feeling of nervousness overcame him once again. Shifting his eyes around the room, he quickly spoke. "Well I can say that this is a very dedicated café. I think you fit the theme of the anime quite well really, especially you Patricia-san."

She smiled as she scratched the back of her head. While this was good, Kaito wanted to change the subject so he could be alone with his thoughts. He peered at the nearby Konata and made a hasty observation.

"Oh yeah, I just noticed something now. Both of you are cosplaying as Misa-Misa. Isn't there a rule about duplicating characters?"

"Well you see…" Konata began to explain. "With a male-heavy cast such as in Death Note, you rarely have many female characters to work with. Misa however plays the role of a crucial main character who dresses up in several different outfits, so the manager said it was fine. Besides, we came into many conflicts deciding on who should be what, so it's much easier this way."

"Like what?" He asked.

"Well I can do her voice incredibly well." Konata said.

"And I have Misa's hair and physique." Patricia mentioned.

"So we decided to go with this route. But there aren't only people dressed up as this character. We do have one girl today as Rem and another is Naomi."

"Don't you usually do something on the stage though?" Tsukasa said.

"Well, you guys missed the main event." Konata said. "But we decided you would have fun doing this little mini-event."

Kagami sourly focused her eyes away from the two workers. "Not exactly sure how that is entertaining for _us_."

"Excuse me." Hiyori interrupted politely. "Could you get me an orange soda?"

Tsukasa made a delightful motion remembering she was in a restaurant. "I'll have a melon soda!"

"I'll have an iced coffee." Kagami said plainly.

"Uh, get me some cold tea."

The two cosplayers bowed to their friends. "No problem, masters!"

As they walked away, the two tables immediately took different courses of action. The two sisters sparked up a conversation about their school work. On the otaku table, Hiyori quickly went to work on her paper by sketching a random pose. Kaito had his head against the wall, trying to fully comprehend the purpose of everything that happened. He was purposely touched by a girl…but exactly for what reason?

"Ah…" Hiyori sighed. "That was a nice presentation for them to show for us. I've always wanted to create a scene like that in one of my stories. Seeing it in real life is very different than watching it on tv."

"I suppose." Kaito said.

"I'm glad I came to see all of this." Hiyori lightly chuckled as she slowly began detailing the scene.

He wasn't really concentrating on what she was saying. The day just seemed to get more and more complicated with each passing second. He hoped that things would cool down once they hit the stress-relieving arcade.

* * *

After a quick meal, the six teenagers left from the building feeling satisfied. Konata and Patricia switched into more appropriate clothes when their shift had ended. As quickly as they exited the café, they went straight into the nearby arcade. The best thing about this otaku hub is that nearly everything a person could want was a few steps away. Entering the game center, the otakus dug deeply into their pockets ready to spend more money.

Tsukasa looked in amazement at all the high-resolution screens and games of chance. Every genre of video game was inside, as well as the more classic machines such as pachinko. They gathered around the change machines greedily, ready to toss coins towards every single game. Each of them turned their heads, trying decided what was the best thing to try first. There was just so much.

Kaito caught his eye on a particular tall machine. He recognized it for it's insane difficulty but couldn't help but walk towards it. He pressed his hands against the glass, looking on at the goodies inside it. Electronics dangled on metal hooks worth nearly one hundred times more than the price to play. The five girls gathered behind him looking over the machine.

"Ah…a Stacker machine." Konata grinned.

"I always thought those machines are rigged." Kagami said.

"You play them anyway though. Just because you want that prize really badly."

"Even if you can't get the prize, it's sill worth trying." Tsukasa mentioned.

Hiyori looked closer at all items. "Don't you own most of these things Kaito-sempai?"

"Yeah…" He said taken in by the appeal of the game. "But if it means winning a game system for only 100 yen, it's worth it."

"But what would you do with it?" Kagami asked, a little disappointed.

"I don't know really" He shifted his eyes past all of the girls, stopping on one. "Patricia-san, since you were so kind to me in the café, how about I win you a system?"

"Me?" She said surprised. "No, you don't have to do that."

"Oh, but I insist." He said happily. "Especially since you gave such a wonderful privilege for my first time going into your café."

Patricia blushed from the comment. Konata was a little surprised though, as she thought of the idea as well. She spoke in an affectionate tone.

"Kaito-kun…why don't you get me something?"

"Because you already have these things, don't you?"

Konata made a grunt from the truthful statement. "Well yeah…" The Hiiragis looked at her nervously.

"I guess after I win Patricia something, I'll try to get something for you too."

Kaito then focused on his machine as the girls dispersed. Hiyori and Patty went towards one of the music game machines, while the third year students gathered around a new shooter game. Konata grinned knowing this would be the tsundere's specialty. Kagami sat in the chair as her friends watched on. The room erupted with various noises from drumming, to rapid laser fire, to the sounds of disintegrating building.

After a few minutes things became more intense. Kagami swiftly moved her joystick around trying to dodge the hundreds of bullets flying at her tiny ship. She alternated her fingers between the appropriate fire and bombs buttons to efficiently eliminate all the enemies on the screen. However she quickly was overwhelmed from the massive boss annihilating her last life with a giant beam. Kagami sighed as she moved away from the machine. Konata and Tsukasa went to their own fighting game.

Kaito's eyes went back and forth at the blue flash square. He had matched together several lines in a staggering fashion. He patiently had to wait for the block to perfectly match up with the tower. With a lucky press, he received his final block as it moved around the box with lightning fast speed. The boy rattled his fingers slowly on the large button waiting for the right opportunity. In one press, the block appeared one space short of his goal. He had no prize and sighed to himself.

"Damn…" To keep his cool, he walked over with Kagami to see what the first year students were doing.

The two otakus were slowly bashing away at a game of Taiko no Tatsujin. It was a little awkward, but very entertaining for them to hit the drum to various anime themes. Both of them alternated between hitting the center and the edge of the peripheral. On a final long lasting song note from the machine, both of them bashed away at the long balloon note at the game. After that, the song ended showing the results of both players.

"Hehe, you beat me Hiyorin." Patricia said innocently, scratching the back of her head.

"I've just listened to the song a lot." Hiyori said in a similar tone. "I kind of understood the rhythm of the song better."

"Hmm…" Kaito said intrigued. "Drumming games have been getting popular."

"I guess they are just really fun to play." Kagami concluded. "It's a shame though it doesn't get people interested in real the thing"

"Well actually Kagami." Kaito began, glancing at a nearby DrumMania machine. "Studies have proven that playing drum games such as this do affect how well they play on real drums. Unlike the guitar variation, the drum skill does successfully pass over. So by playing a drum game such as this they do have a possible future in becoming a drummer."

Kagami made a nervous sweat drop from his response. "You really research a lot about these things, don't you."

"Of course!" He said proudly. On a quick glance at the games, he saw a particular device hooked near the drummania machine. "Up for a game?"

"Really?" Kagami said.

"Sure. Games are always fun with partners, don't you think?"

Kagami looked embarrassed from Kaito's words, but she nodded her head. As she sat in the cushioned chair of the drum game, Kaito wrapped the plastic guitar around his body. The two of them slipped in their money as a loud voice greeted them and asked a series of questions. As the boy picked the highest level of difficulty, the girl went with the lowest, being completely new to the game.

With little warning, the game started by giving Kaito an insane series of notes, each had to be strum consistently with the rhythm of the game. Kagami on the other hand merely had to alternate slowly between three different pads. It was slow, but she was able to keep up with everything and hit the foot pedal each time she needed to. She felt a bit helpless seeing her friend going insane on every single note getting marks such as Perfect and Great.

He flailed while he was playing; matching with the bonus points he would gain with the system. His wrist constantly flicked the strum bar up and down to hit with several of the notes. The tsundere however was able to keep up with her notes, but getting the occasion Miss or Okay. Suddenly though, the machine had stopped them since the song was over. One of the major, yet economical flaws of these games was that each song only lasted about two minutes.

Kaito's screen appeared with a rank of AA. Kagami's screen appeared with a rank of B.

"Hmm…Guitar Hero has made me weak. I'll have to start practicing harder." Kaito confirmed.

"You can do better than that?!" Kagami said frantically.

"Oh Kagamin…" A familiar voice surprised her. "Trying out a drumming game, eh? Feels like you are trying to nurture that inner otaku of yours."

"Gah! He just invited to play so…you know, I'm not that great at this game anyway." Kagami dismissed. "I think I'll try the UFO catcher." She walked off the set and moved to the glass box.

"But you said these games are rigged." Konata said slyly.

"Enough!"

Kaito grinned at the situation, but turned his head to see what the others were doing. Tsukasa tried her luck on the Stacker game as well, as she watched the bottom row move along slowly. Hiyori and Patty were still busy dueling in Tanko matches. But looking at the girls, he remembered his statements from earlier. He walked back towards the prize machine noticing how Tsukasa was doing miserably at it.

It felt like even though the game was simply explained, she had trouble with it. As the second row came in contact with the first, she had hit the button way too early. Only one block was left leading her to the top. Her hand slipped again though, causing the game to end prematurely before any chance to win a prize. The boy sighed as he took control back over the game.

His happiness didn't last long though. From each coin he tossed into the machine, every result appeared the same. As he was about to finish the major prize zone of the box, he repeatedly missed one area short of creating a full tower. Frustration grew every time he had to listen to the electronic building collapse. He moaned as he pressed his forehead against the glass, watching the lights dance around again.

"Uh, Kaito-kun?" Tsukasa asked.

"Yeah?" He said, quickly advancing towards the higher prize zone again.

"What do you plan on getting?"

"I don't know." He said dryly, focusing only on the flashing lights.

"Oh." She stood there observing the actions, still curious. "You should go for the Nintendo…"

At that moment, he had to deal with missing the tower again by a mere frame. He signed heavily and turned his head towards the poor girl. He had the look of pure rage in his eyes combined with the irritation from the game.

"You know Tsukasa…" He growled.

She panicked, not familiar to his anger. "What?"

"You should really learn how to do things by yourself."

"Wha, what do you mean?"

"Today I nearly had to deal with being arrested, because you couldn't tell that photographer to go away. Any otaku can clearly see you as Akari. But did you do anything to stop it? You didn't take out your ribbon or even cover your face."

"Well, he just surprised me."

"And you also…" But at that moment, his fury was cut off due to the loud, melodic guitar riff coming from his cell phone. Tsukasa jumped from its vicious sound but Kaito looked at it normally. The front screen indicated it was his mom calling. He didn't want to sound angry talking to his mother, so he wrapped it up. "Uh…sorry Tsukasa-san. Just be sure to defend yourself." He said as he walked away.

The younger sister stood there perplexed at the whole event. He was angry and now he was suddenly calm? Perhaps this was the common stereotype she would see of the angry gamer. But she did think about his words. The last time that had happened, she tried to cover herself with her bag, but that simply brought more people to gaze at her. And Kagami had stop everything by dragging her into the manga shop.

She stopped thinking though, hearing the voice of her sister.

"Oi, Tsukasa!" Kagami said proudly. She held a doll by her surprised face. "Look! I won a Keroro doll!"

"Oh…that's good Onee-chan." She said frightfully.

"Something wrong, Tsukasa?"

"I think something is wrong with Kaito-kun."

The three of them turned there heads to see the boy speaking to his cellphone. He was making outrageous gestures with his hands hearing every word from the other side. His fury escalated to new levels as he began barraging his mother with questions. A few silent words came from the other end, explaining the whole situation. Kaito at that moment looked dead, trying to comprehend everything. He somberly closed his cell phone and walked towards the girls.

"Guys, something really bad has happened. I have to leave." He said quickly, as he dashed out of the arcade.

"What do you think happened?" Konata questioned. "Don't think I've ever seen him worried like that.

A grimace formed on Kagami's face from the empathy of watching the boy run away. She wasn't sure what happened, but it had to be something serious.

* * *

Cliffhangers fun with you guys? Well I hope you liked the chapter. The title doesn't really mean anything special if you are wondering.

On another random anime note, here's something I would like to mention when I watch subtitled animes. Usually when you watch an anime, the cute/innocent girl in the show (Tsukasa or Yutaka for example) usually tend to make a squeeky sound whenever they say something that could be translated as "Sure" or "Okay." I think "Un" is the appropriate term. I think the point of this is to make the characters seem more cute, but to me it feels like the phrase is more annoying than anything.


	14. Moving Into Action

Nothing much to say about this chapter. It's going to have many scenes that most of my other chapters, so I hope I captured all of the character correctly. It's a pretty crucial chapter too, in case there are any readers who skip ahead. Don't want any cases of "Omg, when did that happen?" I hope you all shall enjoy it!

**Disclaimer:** Lucky Star is owned by Kagami Yoshimizu. Kaito and Ryuta are owned by me. (Speaking of which, we need more of the manga translated. :)

* * *

**Chapter 14: Moving Into Action**

A new day had arrived in Japan. It was Monday now and everyone had to restart their continuous grind for knowledge or money. Transportation across the country moved in sequence picking up or delivering people to a new destination. On one particular road, a bus slowed down to pick up some nearby students. The pistons relieved pressure and opened the door, allowing three students to enter.

"So, what did you think of the homework Kagamin?" The short otaku asked.

"It wasn't bad really." Kagami responded. She glared back at her. "Why do you ask?"

"Well…"

"You didn't do it again, did you?" Konata looked away coyly, while the tsundere looked with shame.

"I think you should do your work Kona-chan." Tsukasa said. "Don't you think Kuroi-sensei would notice that you copy off of Onee-chan?"

"Ah, but she hasn't." Konata said with a large glimmer in her eye.

"Fine." Kagami sighed as she reached into her bag. She pulled out a notebook, her world history book, and a mechanical pencil. "Go ahead and copy it."

"Oh, Kagamin." The smaller girl said with her voice in a much sweeter tone. "I'm eternally grateful."

"I wish you would mean that seriously…" She commented under her breath.

As they walked to the very back of the bus, they had noticed something completely eerie. An incredible aura of torment could be sensed all across the vehicle. Reaching there, they came to see a familiar face looking like an empty shell; Kaito. He was tightly bound into his school coat, wrapping his arms around it intensely. His face was pressed against the metal as he moaned looking into the passing street.

"Kaito-kun?" Tsukasa said, worried.

He made an unintelligible groaned his he shifted his eyes at them. The three girls sat by closer wanting to know more.

"Is something wrong?" Konata asked.

"Yesterday…" He coughed out. "Was just so inconceivable."

"What happened?" Kagami said with new found interest. "Did something happen to your family?"

"Well…"

* * *

Kaito dashed through his streets filled with stress and anxiety. He couldn't believe what his mother told him. It was something he had to find out for himself. Never could he imagine that things like this would happen in real life, even if it was a possible occurrence. Stopping at his house, he wanted to be somewhat relaxed as he began catching his breath. He straightened his physique, looking at the problem completely astounded.

His beloved house was covered with yellow tape as the bottom was drenched with water. Many officials were going in and out of the house, taking out items and inspecting various sections. One person in particular was interviewing Kaito's parents who were standing forlornly by the house. The devastated boy broke through the tape and slid down towards one of the many sets of soiled boxes.

He breathed frantically as he picked up a wet copy of YuYu Hakusho. He quickly turned through all the pages hoping for the best. But nearly every page of the tankobon was wrinkled, making it illegible and prone to tear by mere contact. Kaito moved his head as his pupils observed every section of the box. Nearly every manga in the box was in the same condition, containing old and new works.

His body turned still as he lay lifeless on the ground.

His parents took notice to seeing their son laying the grass.

"Kaito!" Both his parents said moving towards him.

He slowly turned his heads towards the two of them. Tears began rolling from his eyes from what he just witness

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" He shouted at them. This even got the attention of a few of the officials.

"Kaito…" His mom began. "The water heater burst as your dad was taking a shower. And the damage has seemed to ruin the flooring and circuitry of the house."

"Oh god." Kaito trembled. "Is anything from my room safe?"

"Well, most of the outlets in your room weren't touched, so your laptop is safe. However, the bottom two shelves of your manga collection are beyond repair. The TV in your room is safe, along with most of the video games. But the DVDs at the bottom look pretty bad. However, you'll need a new cable for that white console, since the water hit the outlet holding it."

The teenager felt strange listening to that. Most of the stuff was safe, but the damage to his room seemed incomprehensible. "We…we can get it back though, right?"

"Actually…" An official said, entering the conversation. "Your insurance company has decided not to reimburse your loss. It was discovered that the release valve had been removed, which is the best tool used to keep these things from happening."

The Yasuhiro family was stunned by that statement. All that work, equity and accomplishment over the years were drained from their bodies. Kaito's mom and dad couldn't stand looking at the house, trying to calculate their loss. The otaku however was in a state of crisis. He breathed heavily trying to comprehend everything that would happen now. All the things he lost to the power of water made him form an evil conclusion.

He pointed sharply at his father. "This is all your fault! Did you have to take a shower?! Did you have to remove all those things from the water heater?! It's not like you have anywhere to go!"

"Oi, don't point the blame on me!" He defended himself. "You shouldn't even be wasting your money and time in all of that fantasy stuff! It'll distract you from the real world."

"I like it, because the real world sucks." He said back, coldly.

"Don't be so hard on him Iwao. He really liked all of that manga, you can't blame him."

"Sakiko, stop taking his side. Being so obsessive over the computer and video games has clearly done something to him! He's never going to recover from something like this because he never understood how the world really works!"

"You know, we can get everything back." She retorted. "My business makes pretty good money."

"Gah…what are we going to do?" Kaito said pathetically.

The mom pulled out her cell phone. "I'll try to book a hotel for us to stay at."

Iwao sighed. "Great…things just can't get any worse."

"Can you guys give me some time? I need to be alone with my things." Kaito requested.

His parents looked in empathy seeing their son crumble apart from the shock. They wandered off together, trying to find a temporary place to live. Kaito continued to look through the other boxes of soiled items. Everyone else began focusing on the bottom sections of the house. Trying to discover how deep the problems were. He frantically looked over hoping to see something that would give him hope. He paused looking at a surprisingly dry box.

He gazed into the box as emotions started pouring from his head. His precious games from new to old were perfectly safe. Even the DS that bound together himself and Konata was accounted for. His modified PS2 and Wii were each dry, even with the one damaged cable. Other boxes including the higher shelved manga, his television, and his valuable laptop. He couldn't help but cry, feeling so fortunate that the things he enjoyed for years were not broken.

He dragged them towards the side of the road. Kaito didn't want to take any of these things out of his sight. He just sat there on the cold concrete, trying to figure out what to do now. Even with his games safe, he couldn't play with them. Hotels are usually very poor when it comes to electronics. Not to mention, he couldn't stand being in the same room with his parents for an unspecified amount of time. It would drive anyone mad.

After 30 minutes, Kaito was still in deep, somber thought about what to do. He cared for his parents, but being in the same room? With one TV? It was out of the question. Things would easily go awry within the first week. But even if he could stay out of the hotel, what of his mom and dad? Iwao had a quite a number of buttons to drive him to moodiness. Maybe if he were lucky, they would get separate rooms.

"Am I too late here?" A voice said.

"Yeah. Sorry Narumi-san, but we have this pretty covered."

The girl pouted. "Shoot, and I came out here for nothing. Dealing with traffic is so boring on these days."

Kaito suddenly perked up, remembering the tone. "Yui-san?"

The policewoman turned her head to see the downtrodden teen sitting on the sidewalk. "Oh, Kaito!" She waved intensely as she walked towards him. "How are you?"

"Not great." He admitted. He did feel a little bit better though seeing Konata's cousin in such a cute outfit. A girl like her as cop? It was kind of strange, but seeing her figure in a police uniform cheered him up a bit.

"Don't tell me this is your house?" She said with worry, but still in a cute fashion.

"Yeah..."

"Good grief." Yui said. "A poor thing like you getting your house flooded? You don't deserve that." She comforted as she sat down beside him.

"I know. I'm glad that most of my items are safe."

"That's good. Kona-chan probably would crack down if the same thing happened." She giggled.

"I did lose some manga though. And now I don't have a place to live since everything is wet and possibly deadly." Kaito sighed.

"You can probably stay with your relatives or go to a hotel, right?"

"Yeah, but most of my relatives are nuts. We work better with space, because things get really uncomfortable if we get cramped up in the same room for too long."

Yui absorbed every bit of Kaito's words. She could feel the carefree, happy Kaito slipping away from the last time she saw him. He was at a complete standstill at his life. While he was a teenager, his troubles indicated that he needed care. This presence felt incredibly familiar to Yui. It was almost as if he was sharing the same troubles Yutaka had. Only everything he had to deal with was over material possessions. But growing up with Sojiro and Konata, she knew well that this would be devastating for an otaku.

"Kaito, would you like to stay with me for the night?"

He looked up with hope shimmering in his teary eyes. "Can I really?"

"Of course! It would nice to have company at the house."

"Oh, Yui-san!" Kaito shouted.

* * *

Without warning he wrapped his arms around the policewoman. He hugged her tightly as he nested his head on her shoulder. She was taken by surprise by it, but could help but smile and hug him back. A nice kid like him needed affection.

"So I stayed with Yui-san for the night." Kaito concluded. "That's why I was on the bus early."

"Oh, Kaito-kun!" Konata said.

She immediately empathized for his loss and situation. She wrapped her short arms around his body, getting particularly close. Kaito blushed furiously, as he didn't think she would get so close to him. It was almost like cuddling. This process did make him feel better. He relaxed by placing his legs on the ground and moving his arms towards Konata's body. Since she was gracious enough to hug him, he had to return the favor.

"You poor thing, I can't believe your house got all wet like that! Oh, no otaku should have to suffer from such cruel fate!"

"Sorry for your loss Kaito-kun." Tsukasa said weakly. "We don't own many things like that, but I'm sure we would also feel as bad."

"Well…" Kagami stammered. "I wish I could help you Kaito-san. Though everything will get better, right?" She felt a bit uncomfortable. After their little encounter at her house, she felt a need to appreciate him more. She kind of wanted to give him some support, but Konata already had latched onto him.

"Hopefully things will get better." Kaito said. "Most of my stuff is ok, but I'm going to miss some of those volumes."

"It's okay." Konata hugged him a bit closer. "You can borrow some of my manga if you want. You probably need it."

"Thank you, Kona-chan. Though I can probably look on a website if I want to look at some of my destroyed manga. I can't really waste any more space; I have boxes for my clothes, games, and my other essentials."

"Can't you stay with your parents?" Kagami asked

"I can, it's just that we'd have to stay at a hotel. That means I wouldn't have any privacy. And I would have to deal with both my mom and my dad in the same room for possibly months. I'm not up for that at all. To be honest, I would feel better if I lived with either of you guys working as a maid guy."

"Maid…guy?" Tsukasa asked.

"It's like a maid…but manlier."

Konata grinned at the statement. He would rather be a powerful maid guy than a butler. It made her visualize the idea of him in such a frilly uniform looking completely stern and unflinching. But even with the maid, she commented on something strange.

"Nee-san couldn't let you stay at her house?"

"She said something about…a husband coming over. Didn't expect her to be married. But at least she gave me a day to prepare for all of this." He reflected on last night. "She's a very kind woman, you are lucky to have her Konata."

"Hehe, I do like my energetic cousin."

He looked at the three of them as he tried to turn on some of his charm. Now was the perfect time to ask as they all seemed to understand the situation perfectly. Anything would be better than a cramped room with his parents.

"Could I stay with you guys until my house is fixed?" He asked, as sweetly as he could.

Konata responded quickly. "I'll try to convince my dad. It all depends on him."

"Hmm…hope I can. It's good for me to have a backup." He glanced at his tsundere friend. "Am I allowed to stay at your house Kagami?"

The twin-tailed girl couldn't directly look at the boy. It was hard for her to respond. "Well, you might be able to stay. We have a big family. It depends on our parents."

"Thank you, Kagami." He said happily.

His response made her fluster up even more. "Don't think of it as anything big. I just wish for what is best for you."

Konata couldn't help but grin at the subject. "Oh…Kagami gets so cute in these situations!"

"I'm going to try this with everyone though. It's good that I touch up on all my bases. Kona-chan, can you ask your cousin if I can stay at her friend's house as well?"

"Sure. I'll tell her."

"I hope things work out for you Kaito-kun." Tsukasa said.

"Yeah…now if only I could solve one last problem."

"What's that?" Kagami asked.

"I didn't do my homework yesterday. I was just traumatized so I couldn't think about my studies at all. Hope Kuroi-sensei cuts me some slack."

Tsukasa and Konata giggled over the situation. Kagami felt that same reoccurring feeling of shame.

"Oh Kaito…"

* * *

In the cafeteria, four male teenagers sat around a table with four empty trays. Each of them laid back in their chairs contently as one of the boys took all the trash and appropriately disposed of them. As he sat back down, Kaito rested weary head on his hand supported by his elbow. His three friends leaned in closer towards him. They were thinking about story and the large bump hissing on his head.

"Sucks that your house got flooded." Ryuta said. "Atleast you were able to nearly save nearly everything, like that PS3, right?"

"I actually kept the PS3 in my car. I don't see any point in taking it out until I own something worth playing." Kaito explained. "If only Kuroi-sensei would have understood my pain."

"Doesn't she know that it's illegal to physically attack students?" Taichi asked.

"I think she does, but she doesn't care. It's a strange system."

"There's something I don't really understand with your situation Kaito-san." Shiraishi commented. "If you need a place to stay, why don't you simply go to one of our houses? Do you need to go to Izumi or Hiiragi-san's house?"

"Oh Minoru, it's very simple. If you can live with a girl, that's the major step to know if she really loves you or not. And while this situation is horrible, I might be able to cope with the fact that I can live with someone who's nice."

Ryuta and Taichi clicked at the subject. "Ah…of course." They both said.

"Isn't that a bit…selfish?" Minoru said.

"Don't blame me because I want to pursue romance." Kaito retorted. "Besides, anything is better than being with my parents in a tiny room."

"Oh yeah, we got too loud that one night and your dad left the house, right?" Taichi remembered.

"Yeah, and he didn't even tell us. My mom then told me how he complained about it nonstop the next day."

"I think its noble Kaito-kun." Ryuta stated. "If you can successfully live with a girl and create a relationship, you will be a man among men! And hopefully one day I can have a relationship too."

"Well Ryuta-kun, you probably can. You just have to have that girl to start taking you seriously."

"I'll try, but who knows." He rolled his eyes.

"What if you can go to both of their houses though? Won't one of them get irritated if you don't go to their house?" Taichi deducted.

"I figured that one out." Kaito said, reaching into his pocket. "I've basically decided that Konata and Kagami are both top tier choice for the situation. And nearly every other girl is on the same level because they wouldn't be offended. So if that happens, I'll flip a coin in front of them. That way, they can blame fate instead of blaming me."

"You've thought this through, haven't you?" Minoru said surprised.

"If you ever watch TV at all, a man has to carefully plan out these scenarios so he can be safe. Compromise is the key to a good relationship, so I want to try and make everyone happy as best as I can."

"Best of luck to you Kaito." Ryuta wished.

"I hope this all works out."

* * *

Not far from the chattering boys were the students of 1-D. While normally the four girls would be having separate conversations about grades or obsessions, they were all engaged on the same subject. They were all watching a similar program last night about some new miracle product. It was unlike normal odor removal sprays, and it seemed to be quite efficient due to changes in its chemical structure.

"So they said the spray is also able to eliminate stinky smells and make everything seem pleasant." Yutaka commented.

"So I've heard." Minami quietly responded. "However, did you see the small print near the end of the show? It stated it might harm household pets."

"Ah, so Minami-san really likes her dog." Patricia said. Minami instantly felt embarrassed by the remark.

"But I think commercials do that on purpose." The small girl said. "You wouldn't buy a product with obvious problems like that, right?"

"For some major life changing products, they do have to mention the side-effects." The foreigner said.

"Hehe, that's true." Hiyori said. "But back to that spray stuff, my dad already ordered a case of it."

"Hmm? Why's that?" Yutaka asked.

"Well…" The meganekko scratched the back of her head innocently. "My dad is usually late for work sometimes, so he misses the quick shower he has to take. But now he stated that if he's late again he can just spray some of that stuff on his suit and nobody would notice."

"Makes sense." Minami nodded.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me." Yutaka began. "Kaito-san's house recently got flooded so he's looking for a place to stay. I'm not sure if she can stay with me and Onee-chan, but he wants to know who he can say with."

The other three sweat dropped trying to conjure up an answer. The sickly girl spoke up.

"He seems to have some problems with his parents, so he doesn't want to stay with them in a hotel. He was really serious about it; he said he was willing to act as a maid or butler if he could live with any of us.

"If Kaito-san wants, he can stay at my place." Minami said.

"Eh…" Hiyori grunted. "I'm grounded. My parents usually want me to be more conscientious with my money, so they are actually disciplining me for once. No luck for Kaito-sempai.

"How about you Patty-chan?"

But unbeknownst to them, Patricia was in a strange sense of delusion.

From the mention of the word "maid" she should see Kaito standing valiantly in her apartment wearing a maid's uniform. But to distinguish it from the norm, he wore nothing on his head, it was sleeveless, and looked more sharp and threatening. However, it did not keep the apparel from looking less cute and puffy. She could just imagine everything he could be doing.

He would be there from dawn to dusk assisting her every move. She saw him doing regular tasks such as serving tea and doing chores, but this also included doing strange things such as paying her bills and disposing annoying salesmen. It was nothing beyond his control to keep her life balanced. Even with her rough schedule, Kaito would take the time to soothe her every worry.

"Oi, Patty?" Hiyori asked.

Her ideas quickly snapped, hearing her friends' voice. "Oh, what?"

"Would you let Kaito live with you?"

"OH!" She said remembering everything. "Sure, sure! I wouldn't mind Kaito-kun living with me!"

"Glad you can be generous Patty-chan." Yutaka complimented.

"That makes me think…" Hiyori said. "Minami-san, by any chance do you have any servants living with you? For a large house such as yours, you would think one would be needed."

"Sorry, but I don't. We keep our house very clean by picking up after everything we do, so we never need a butler."

The two otakus felt sad by the comment. "Minami-san…you are so rich, yet why are you missing so many awesome things?!"

* * *

At the end of school, Kaito waited patiently outside waiting for an answer. Konata and Kagami each had to make phone calls to see if their friend could live with them. He had just hoped for the best no matter what would happen. Though other than the four girls he hung out with, he wondered if living with any other girl would affect his friendship with them. The whole process seemed good, but a bit awkward. Family plays as such a strange force when it comes to these relationships.

He watched anxiously as the two girls walked out of the building with their cell phones in tow. Tsukasa and Miyuki followed them swiftly.

"So girls, am I allowed to come over?" Kaito asked.

Konata sighed as she looked at her cell phone. "No luck here. My dad seems to be strict with boys coming to our house."

Kaito looked down hearing that response. Having a father disapprove of a man is a very bad sign with these things. He at least had more opportunity as he looked at the Hiiragi twins.

"Uh…sorry Kaito-kun. We have six people living at the house already, so any more seemed a bit too much for our dad." Tsukasa said.

"Besides, when dad got wind of a boy popping over at the house uninvited, he wasn't too pleased."

"Darn…" Kaito said, feeling his window of opportunity shrinking on him.

"Kaito-san, if you wish you can live with me until your house is fixed." Miyuki suggested.

"You'd do that for me?" He said happily.

"Of course. I have a large house to, so we would have special rooms for you to sleep in."

"Hmm…" Kaito said curiously.

Living with Takara was something he hadn't considered. It's very nice to have a comforting friend like her to rely on. However, he wasn't sure if living there would be the best solution. Miyuki had this goddess-like aura where it was hard to accept her generosity. All of the happiness and perfection seemed to be a bit overwhelming for the other students. Not to mention, since she lives in rich part of the country, it's possible that her household could be filled with rules and schedules. Something Kaito would undoubtedly dread.

"I shall definitely look into this Miyuki-san. It just involves asking my parents."

"Uh…" A voice squeaked into the conversation.

"Oh, Yu-chan." Konata said. "Did you ask everyone if Kaito could stay with them? Sadly, doesn't look like dad would let him come over for such a long stay."

"Y-yes. Minami-chan and Patty-chan offered to let Kaito-san stay with them."

Kaito mentally felt much more relieved now. Patricia had always been kind to him and understood his otaku tendencies very well. Living with her would definitely be beneficial.

"Kaito-san, who are you going to live with?" Yutaka reminded him.

The boy scratched his chin. "Well, it depends on my parents, but I believe the choice is very obvious."

Yutaka perked up from the response. "Well that's good. I can't wait to tell Minami-chan the great news!" She walked off to find her tall friend.

Kaito's psyche nearly cracked in two dealing with that. No way would he want to live with that soulless green-haired banshee. "Wait! Yu-chan!" He screamed.

* * *

Well, this is different isn't it? I hope you all will like the plans I have for Kaito and the girls. I can of hope I can keep up the Lucky Star atmosphere with things becoming more serious. But I'm leaving that up for all you fans to tell me.

Thanks for Reading! Please Review!


	15. You've Got Another Thing Comin'

Hey all. Due to my late update last week, I thought you would enjoy an early update to compensate. And this chapter kicks off one of the major arcs of the story. This chapter will again be one of those chapters that only looks long due to tons of talking.

Thanks again for your reviews, I really appreciate it. It really makes me happy knowing that I'm getting more readers

Disclaimer: Lucky Star is owned by Kagami Yoshimizu. If you don't know what characters I own then you haven't been paying much attention. :P

* * *

**Chapter 15: You've Got Another Thing Comin'**

"Hmm…what's the best solution?"

Kaito pondered to himself in the luxurious hotel room. He was stuck at a true crossroad after talking to his friends again. The only two female friends he could stay with were Miyuki and Patricia, whose houses the boy had never been to. He could easily take the safe route, staying with Ryuta and his family. Something about this entire scenario seemed so perplexing to him. At least he was able to dodge the bullet by stopping Yutaka in time.

His parents had full knowledge about Ryuta and his friendship. They would trust him and Kaito would be able to have his personal space in their large house than the hotel. Miyuki was rich, beautiful, polite, and intelligent, something all parents would respect. And he would also have a sense of pride living with one of the most desired girls of the school. For Patricia, it was clear to him that she wouldn't mind his otaku tendencies and she always seemed to enjoy his company. She was a foreigner though, and that would be sure to spark some inquisition.

He sat their listlessly as he scrolled through pages on his laptop. Even if the internet wasn't too keen on advice, it did help him think of creative ideas. That's how he learned to fully resolve anything if he went with Konata or Kagami. But it appeared as if now people weren't willing to give creative ideas. They were busy raving and ranting about games, chatting over personal experiences, or crying over the recent loss of an anime character. Everyone Japan knew he was going to die, but people from other countries were already vowing death to his rival.

Sakiko and Iwao also laid down in the room with the same sense of lethargy. The two of them watched a baseball game in their two separate beds. The father sat there normally as if he was still in his home, while the wife had trouble focusing on the slow actions of the players. Their son was busy concentrating on his laptop, filling the room with the abundant clacks of the keyboard.

Kaito's dad placed his right hand on his matching temple. He couldn't stand to hear that sound of flesh pressing against plastic over the roars of the crowd from the television. The piece of machinery was robbing his son of his crucial social life. Sakiko leaned over looking at Kaito typing on the laptop. It made her sigh, knowing she forgot her own at the office. She longed to look up clothes on the internet than watch this boring sport.

The teenager racked his brain around trying to find the right answer of who to spend time with. There are so many problems he had to deal with no matter what he would do. He had to act proper and tidy around everyone, to avoid getting kicked out, when he enjoyed being very lazy and uncleanly. If he went to Miyuki, he had the fear of dressing up and not being able to the simplest of tasks without permission. He would have to be extremely courteous to Patricia's family. And Ryuta's family would expect him to pick up his own weight.

"May as well do the easiest thing…" Kaito thought. He made a quick breath preparing to speak. "Hey mom? Dad?"

The two looked at him. "What is it?"

"Could I ask you a favor?" He said sweetly.

"What is it?" His mom responded politely.

"Do you mind if I stay with a friend while our house is out of commission?"

"Who?" Iwao asked with new interest.

"Ryuta-kun."

"No, it's no problem." His dad dismissed.

"It'll be a long time until we get the house back; will you be fine by yourself Kaito?" Sakiko said.

"Yeah, I'll be fine mom. I'm old enough for assisted living."

His dad chuckled. "Better get packing then."

Something clicked in Kaito's head just as he said that. There were tons of boxes still in the room filled with his possessions. He quickly closed his laptop and dashed out the door, trying to find tools and assistance to move everything to his car. He had ignored the most exhausting part of moving this whole time.

* * *

The next day, Kaito arrived early at Ryoo. As he walked out the bus, he quickly separated himself from his female friends. Now he had the mission of talking to his spectacled friend about his plans. Everything he thought yesterday could only be shared men and men alone. While he did enjoy having female friends, he did feel a bit safer talking to others about more personal matters.

Reaching the top floor of the school, he quickly walked into the room of 3-C. He peaked around the room hoping Kagami was there to spark a conversation. She wasn't, but he did notice someone that did caught his eye. One girl was leaning against the wall talking with a friend of hers. Her looks matched everything in Ryuta's crush. It made him smirk, knowing that his friend was lucky enough to have that pillar of moe in the class. Kaito walked a few steps in the room towards his friend in the corner.

"Good morning Ryuta-kun." Kaito said.

"Yo!"

"How are things going?"

"Pretty good for the most part. How about you?"

"Hotels aren't as fun as I remember." He said, irritated.

"Parents driving you mad again?"

"Like usual. It's just that yesterday I had to take several boxes of games, clothes, and other essentials to my car. My back hurts…"

"You need more exercise; you'll be moving those boxes again, won't you?" Ryuta chuckled.

"Yeah, I will."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me." The boy said, scratching his chin. "Have you decided who you'll be living with?"

"Yep. After much thought, I've decided that I'll be staying with Patricia-san while my house is getting repaired."

Ryuta smiled. "Going for the exchange student, eh?"

"It's not like that. It's just that I couldn't stay at Konata's or Kagami's house for the time being so I decided to go with the one that would be relate with me."

"Whatever works for you." He dismissed. "A little surprised you didn't want to go with that Takara girl."

"I thought that out. I'm a little suspicious that she might be so polite because she has strict parents or rules…and you know me. I'm very lazy when it comes to manners and I hate etiquette."

"Men shouldn't be tied down by those things."

"There is one thing you do have to look out for though." Kaito warned.

"What's that?"

"I'm not telling my parents that I'm living with Patricia. I told them I'm living with you for the time being."

Ryuta double-taked from the statement. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, are you serious?"

"I don't think my parents would approve of me staying with an otaku from another country."

The teenager with glasses growled, knowing that was a good argument. "Still, I can get in trouble for this."

"Have my parents even been to your house?" Kaito questioned.

"I think your mom has been there once…"

"All you need to do is look over the phone. And if it's my parents, just tell them I'm not there."

Ryuta pressed his fingers against his head. "I'll try, but I can't see this ending well."

Kaito grinned. "You should just see this as us being even. I bet those doujins have really kept you company."

"Hehe, that's true. There's also the fact that now I can start asking you for favors again."

Kaito scratched the back of his head, realizing that. "Oh boy…" His brain clicked again. "Wait a minute; I need to tell Patricia-san!"

He bolted out of the room to tell the first year student the good news. Ryuta sat there in thought, thinking of Kaito's particular situation. There were so many girls he could relate to and have relationships with. From what he was told they all seemed worthy of his affection and they were all great to be around. It made him a bit sad, as his eyes wandered across the room. Looking at the brunette that he hoped for.

"If only I had that level of confidence."

* * *

Time flew by on mechanical, rocket boosted wings for the students of Ryoo. The week already felt too long, so the teachers taught everything at a quickened pace. As the bell rang, students began flocking in groups trying to plot out the rest of the day and tomorrow. Kaito spoke with his friends and Kagami talked to the girls of her class. Konata however was happily skipping down the bottom floor of the school.

Kaito had informed the third year students of his true choice. Although a little disappointed, they all felt Patricia would make an adequate host. Konata however felt a bit different than the other three though. She saw this whole event as something to truly enjoy. It was something all otakus had wanted to see first hand. The only thing that she wished was that Kaito was at her house, so she could experience first hand. Reaching her destination, she saw Hiyori and Patricia talking to each other by door of 1-D. As usual, Minami and Yutaka were absent as they would enjoy their own company.

"Ya-hoo." Konata greeted.

"Oh, Konata-sempai, Hello!" Hiyori greeted.

"Oh, Patty-chan, I heard the great news!" Konata said overjoyed.

"Hmm? What's that?" Hiyori said, surprised.

"Kaito-kun's going to live with me until his house gets fixed." Patricia said innocently.

"You are definitely a lucky one Patty." Konata said. "You have the privilege to have a boy stay at your apartment for an indeterminate amount of time. It's a key opportunity to see some flags in action."

"Flags are magical, aren't they?" Hiyori mentioned.

"I do wonder though. What kind of things will happen to trigger such events? What kind of boy is Kaito-kun? Will he sit quietly in the shadows or will he grasp opportunity when it strikes?"

Patricia suddenly looked worried. "I don't think he's going to do anything while he's living with me. Even if there are things leaning in that direction."

Konata started to think to herself. "It makes me curious though on what'll happen. Usually in games not only do you have to wait for flags, but you have to build up your intimacy meter all the way. Sweet talk, dates, making sure important dates are remembered. All of these are needed if a relationship is sure to end in happiness. Things have to follow in a strict linear path if things are to end well."

Hiyori sweat dropped. "Well, romance is tricky. I do wish sometimes those things were that simple." Even though she focused on manga a lot, she did know about the common ero game.

The short girl however started to drift off in delusion. "If only he were staying at my house. I really would like to see the kind of things that would set off Kaito's flags. If only dad wasn't holding me back from letting him stay. And Yu-chan…she might feel strange having a boy living in the house. It makes me wonder, what does Kaito think? Does he want the type of person who makes a move? Or is he the adventurous type that tries for a romantic set up? The set up seems like his style and matches with his personality. If only I had some kind of mind reading power…"

The two first years felt things becoming much more awkward. The foreigner decided to speak her intentions.

"I suppose I really want Kaito-kun to stay over because I'm in desperate need of someone to look over everything."

"Living alone does have its toll, doesn't it?" The meganekko said.

"Yep. School and work keep me very busy sometimes so I neglect many things. The kitchen feels very lonely."

"Work keeps me busy too. I'm glad we get such generous tips."

"Don't the tips make up about half our salary?" The blonde-haired girl asked.

"I think so, but that might be because we have to do more than normal waitresses."

"Hmm…" Hiyori thought. "Do you two have any good maid outfits?"

"We have tons!" Patricia said happily.

"Maid costumes are perfect because they work on any girl, no matter what their body type is." Konata informed.

"Are you allowed by any chance to take the outfits home with you?"

"Our manager has specified that we can borrow one outfit at a time for a week and if anything is to happen to it, we have to fix it or order a new one."

"Oh yeah, Patty-chan, you wanted a maid for your house, right?" Konata said.

"Who doesn't?"

"I wonder what Kaito would look like wearing a maid's outfit…"

"I've seen him as a _miko_ already…" Konata slowly pondered.

The three fujoshi started to picture their male friend wearing one of the easily recognizable uniforms Japan was greatly known for. He appeared in a particularly frilly and wide dress in dark blue and white. He looked particularly stressed and nervous as the heat from the outfit made his face pink. The plate he was holding onto was tilted, causing the contents of his drinks to spill onto the floor. His face had a combination of pity and apology that only the coldest people could resist.

Konata and Hiyori felt a bit of ecstasy imagining Kaito as their own personal human doll. Patricia felt a bit more anxious than even before to invite him to her apartment.

* * *

Not long afterwards, Kaito stopped his car in front of a large apartment complex. Patricia came out another side of the car feeling happy. Kaito had left the car at his house, so he had to bring the girl along with him on the train. Patricia had to give him directions too, as he never saw the apartment during Comiket. He looked in awe over it, as sometimes he forgot how well Japan was at packing people into buildings.

He looked towards the girl he now had to live with.

"So can you help me carry my things?"

Patricia giggled. "Oh, Kaito-kun. As of this day forward you are officially my maid. That means you must carry every single one of your boxes by yourself."

Kaito paled as he looked at the luggage in the back seats and the trunk. All of those devices he had brought were so heavy, yet so fragile.

"And I live on the top floor of this building." She mentioned.

The boy groaned heavy as he started getting to work. He was glad the car was parked close to the complex. The two walked as Kaito held one large box filled with goodies to the building. He was lucky that an elevator was located on the side, making everything much easier. If there were any stairs, he would give up on the very first box. On the top floor, Kaito rested his box in the middle of the floor where the room was located. He sighed, knowing he had to go back down.

This process repeated many times as the boy took several boxes from the car up to the final floor. He only stopped a few times to stretch his body. Ryuta was right, he did need more exercise. Patricia took a strange delight watching Kaito move all of his things. The real attitude he had towards the labor really made him appear as male servant. She smiled every step of the way, as he finished placing the last box on the stone floor.

"At least the hard part is over, right?" The girl smirked.

"What's next, you going to make me wear a uniform?" He said bitterly.

"Don't tempt me Kaito-kun. I have access to those sorts of things."

She led him into her comfortable apartment. He looked around at everything the American girl had owned. The room was over normal size, but contained what he needed. There was a decent side television against a side of the wall with a kotatsu not far from it. A makeshift bed consisting of two large blankets and a pillow was against the farthest wall from the door. At each corner of the room there was a specific door leading to more areas.

Patricia guided him to each section of her home. The first room she showed him was the bathroom. It had a nice sink and sliding glass shower to bath in comfortably. On another side of the apartment was decent sized kitchen. It had the basics for cooking and a microwave, yet there were several cups of ramen in the trash. A second wooden table was to the side, with an electrical outlet near it. Kaito smiled knowing he would have a place to put his laptop.

The next room Patricia showed him was particularly special. It was perfectly sculpted otaku room filled with items that rivaled the likes of himself and Konata. A large bookshelf was against the wall containing several tankobans and doujinshi. Kaito rolled his eyes noting the amazing amount of boys love. On a different wall was a stand and chair combination with a very fast, recent computer.

The two of them now stood in the middle of the living room quite happy.

"So that's my apartment." She said contently. "The last door I have is a closet where I keep my clothes. You won't have any problems living here, will you?"

"Doesn't look like it. Can I set up everything?"

"Go ahead."

Kaito went to work opening his boxes and moving things throughout the nice apartment. He hooked up his consoles towards the sole TV, trying to get everything configured correctly. All of his manga was stacked up alphabetically and efficiently against the wall. His laptop was carried delicately as he took every piece singularly into the kitchen for set up. All of his clothes were left in boxes but kept in the kitchen.

"Oy, Patricia?" He called out.

"Yes?"

"Do you have wireless internet?"

"Of course!"

"Perfect…" He mumbled to himself.

Kaito never had the privilege of always having a fast connection. It was a necessity for any true otaku to own fast internet. Every item had to be owned even if it were to be downloaded illegally. But now that he had a fast connection, he could never go back to simple dial-up. He flexed his muscles as he walked back into the living room, resting near the kotatsu.

Patricia looked down on him as she stood triumphantly over her new roommate. Kaito was her friend, but the opportunity to make him into a loyal servant was once in a lifetime. He slanted his eyes as he had already dealt with enough hardships for the day. His body ached and he didn't want his mind to suffer the same. And the possibility that his parents would find out he was lying to them…

He had to take his mind of the subject and think of something more positive. He was of course living with beautiful foreigner.

"Do you like it here in Japan, Patricia-san?"

"I love it! I can't ever see myself leaving now that I've really experienced it first-hand."

"That's good. There's something I've been wondering though since I got here."

"What's that?"

"Where are your parents? Do they work long hours?"

"Oh, my parents are still in America. As part of the exchange student program I get to come here my years of high school. My parents and the school pay for just about everything . And my job helps me pay for all of my manga and anime."

Kaito had to absorb all of these thoughts. "So wait a minute…you live here in a secure home?"

"Yeah."

"With a well paying job that you love?"

"Yeah."

"By yourself?"

"Yep!" She said confidently.

The boy had to breathe for a second with all of that personal information. He laid his body down deeply, putting his legs under the kotatsu and resting his head on a small cushion.

"Freaking _**awesome**__._ I really need to do something now."

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed that...sorry for being a little descriptive with the otaku's imaginary scene. ;

Thanks for Reading! Please Review.


	16. Bang! Bang! Shockwave!

Hey readers, sorry for being late. This was the last week of college, and that was exams. It was kind of hard to find some material for this chapter. I like for it to stay in the Lucky Star style, so I try not to focus too much on one character. It was kind of hard to write everything. I feel like there may be some mistakes in the last scene, and the second scene might seem to descriptive. But I'll leave that to all you guys.

**Disclaimer:** Lucky Star is property to that of Kagami Yoshimizu

* * *

**Chapter 16: Bang! Bang! Shockwave!  
**

A few weeks had passed ever since Kaito's major decision to live with Patricia. Everything at her apartment flowed along smoothly since there was now someone to look over it. Things were balanced quite well. Every inch of the apartment was cleaned as the boy stuck true to his servant duties. Patty had plenty of money from her job, and Kaito could still go to the bank if he wanted something. They didn't fight, they understood each other; they were the type of roommates that any otaku would want.

The only issue they had to deal with was personal space. Kaito's makeshift bed was right next to hers, causing a lack of complete comfort. No matter what time they went to sleep, they had to make sure not to touch or see each other in little clothing. Even with the events in the cosplay café, the need to keep order was rich within the apartment. It was strange, but taking the risk of living with her was something Kaito couldn't endanger. It was lucky for him that Patricia's closet was a walk-in.

Both of them commonly went into separate rooms after school. Patricia would go to her perfectly sculpted otaku room if she wanted to relax. Kaito would spend his time in the kitchen, preparing all the meals or doing anything on his laptop. Even though they had a table in the kitchen, they would eat around the kotatsu and television. Having one television was a pain, but it worked well if Patricia ever wanted to play multiplayer games.

At the morning of a new day, Patricia groggily yawned as she slowly stretched her arms. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the light of her apartment as she moved them across the room. The nearby futon of her roommate was empty, while the kotatsu was completely decorated with breakfast materials. She lifted the upper part of her body to fix her hair and continually peak around the room. Kaito wasn't there.

Perfect. She lifted her body up from her futon as she readied her body for the day. Patricia loved sleeping in her personal collection of lingerie, it made her feel very comfortable and confident of her body. And the only thing to ruin that feeling of security would be the piercing eyes of a boy. Each time before she got out of bed, she waited for Kaito to leave the room or checked to make sure he was still asleep.

She moved quickly towards her walk-in closet filled with all of her clothes. She shifted through her night clothes to her serafuku with breakneck speed. The uniform made her feel strange though. She loved the moe aspect of it but she didn't really like wearing it every day for school. One of the things she did like about her old, American schools was the freedom of choice with the clothing. She happily walked out of the closet in her standard, winter attire.

She looked at the clock from across the room. It indicated there wasn't much time to sit around the apartment, as they had to make the bus. She did however need to clean up, due to her very sensitive skin. It was very uncomfortable as this time of the year, as the temperature would fluctuate wildly. She had to do the one possibly thing that every girl needed to do though, fix her face.

As she went towards the bathroom, she could feel some steam emitting from the small space below the door. She creaked the door slowly as she slid her socks towards the mirror. Entering, she could hear the sound water raining down on at fast speed, colliding with several surfaces. She ignored it for a second to do a quick run over her face. No blemishes on her face, nothing looked tired or infected, and her hair positioned in her preferred short, but slightly wild style.

But her attention was quickly focused a new sound…

"_Wasurenaide mitsumeru koto wo._"

Patricia blinked around the room, hearing the delightful tone. She started to look around at everything. She noticed several Kaito's things, including his school uniform on the ground. This made her smile immensely, knowing he was singing. He continued, unaware of the girl's presence.

"_Ima dekiru deshou?_"

She had trouble figuring out the original singer…it was unfamiliar, but definitely in the category of that of a pop idol.

"_Ima shika nai kono jikan wo._" He continued. He harmonized his voice with the tune of song, as if he was hearing it at that very moment. "_Anata shidai de._"

At that moment, the water slowly went from a shower to a trickle. Patricia grimaced knowing what would happen next. She slid backwards out of the room, trying to close the door without being detected at all. She shut the door slowly but couldn't help but listen to him continue singing.

"_Riruha_-" He sung the water completely shut off. "-_nagare yuku._" He move the glass screen and stepped out. He reached for some of his towels to wash up completely. As he looked at his cell phone, he frowned knowing that he did have time to dry off his hair. He cleaned his body and focused on putting on his school uniform. He did however, finish the lyric merrily. "_Riruha- kawari yuku._"

Kaito went back into the living room with his clothes wrinkled and hair still damp. But he didn't really care. He glanced over to see Patricia eating comfortably. At least he would be able to enjoy this small five minutes of eating. He sat down towards he tried to get the water out of his hair.

"Good morning, Kaito-kun." Patricia greeted.

"Morning, Patricia-chan." He responded. Allowing him into her home definitely deserved giving her a new honorific.

"How long have you been awake?"

"An hour. Do you have to work today?"

"Nope, just tomorrow."

"Well that's good. This apartment can get boring at times…"

"You moving in has completely changed that though." She said sweetly.

He smiled. "Thank you."

She grinned with her next statement. "I never knew though that you had such a lovely singing voice."

Kaito's defenses shatter as he froze from the statement. To make matters worse a piece of toast he was gnawing on became lodged in his throat. His eyes bulged as he looked around frantically for a drink. But Patricia had the only drink, and the only other liquid was a glass container of soy sauce. As he coughed, he dashed in his socks towards the kitchen, because he knew water would be there.

* * *

"And that's what happened to Kaito-kun today." Patricia dismissed.

At Hiyori's house, her room erupted with the sounds of laughter and giggles. They often went to the meganekko's house if they wanted to study. Minami's was far away and Yutaka's was small and filled with distraction. After the foreigner's delightful tale, they went back to the long list of homework they had. Even if they were first year students, the Japanese school system was still merciless.

Yutaka quickly felt nervous though looking over her homework while everyone else was in a diligent mood. The lectures would often be too confusing for her to understand. She peaked around at everyone else's papers. The other three of her group did pretty well with academics, making her feel a bit more overwhelmed. It almost made her too bashful to ask any of them for help.

She lightly tugged on the cloth of her tall friend. "Mi-Minami-chan?" She asked.

Minami turned her head slowly. "Yes, Yutaka-san?" She responded in her typical monotone.

"Where did you find the answer to this problem?"

She pointed at her finger to one of the pages of her World History homework. Her friend went back through her book trying to find the right answer, but she was just as puzzled on the subject. Her façade didn't change, but her head did lower slightly.

"I'm sorry Yutaka. I haven't found the answer to that problem either."

The sickly one was surprised but still felt empathetic to her friend. "Well, that's ok Minami-chan. We can always do that one later."

"Uh…" Hiyori interrupted. "I've actually found the problem."

"Really Tamura-san?" Yutaka asked.

"Yeah." She said, adjusting her glasses. "You have to look on page 219. It's around the second paragraph."

"Thanks Hiyori-san." Minami said.

"Of course…" The girl sighed.

She went back to her papers trying to figure out the work. Even with them here, Hiyori still felt some doubt between her friendship with Yutaka and Minami. Sometimes they seem to ignore her. Hiyori started to find the homework difficult, having a sudden urge to draw. She would have incredibly high scores if she didn't have to balance her school work and her love of doujins.

Her train of thought was broke off though. Not even to the possible yuri moment she would be a front row spectator of. Her stomach rumbled, causing her to stand up and put her work on pause. The other three placed their eyes on her.

"I'm getting hungry, would you mind if we grabbed a snack?" She proposed

Minami felt nervous. She patted her chest and began to speak. "Would you mind if we had a healthy kind of snack?"

"I wouldn't mind eating something light." Patricia said. "Usually by now, I would have eaten something at home or the café."

"You are allowed to eat at your café, Patty-chan?" Yutaka asked curiously.

"Of course! It's just that we can only eat in private and that we must wash our hands after doing so."

"I don't eat at my house until late." Minami said.

"Me too." Yutaka mentioned.

"I guess it might be my metabolism that causes me to eat a decent amount." Patricia said innocently.

Minami bent her head down, looking at her flat chest again. "When I think about it…I hard eat anything…"

"Hey, would you guys mind giving me a hand in the kitchen?" Hiyori asked.

"Sure." Yutaka and Minami said.

"You go ahead. I'm really behind in all my work, so I'll just catch up."

As the three of them left, Patricia laid down her books, ready to do the true task she had prepared for. With all of them out of the room, she could safely look at her friend's newest doujin works. She had an insatiable craving for these wonderful works causing her to always look around for something new to read. Peaking through her large assortment of manga, she saw that her previous doujin hiding area had been moved.

She grunted knowing she'd have to look longer. Knowing the three of them, they would at least take five minutes to prepare the food and drinks. She opened all the cabinets on Hiyori's work desk, to no avail. The foreigner moved to more traditional hiding places, looking under her bed and around with her clothes. She even tried more unorthodox methods, by removing the tacks of her posters in order to find secret compartments.

The last area she looked was Hiyori's personal storage closet. It held any of her left over materials and unused sketches from her stories. After moving through several stacks of the items, she stumbled upon a notebook. She grinned as she took the notebook and brought it into the light. As she opened the first page, she looked in intrigue at it. The title was on there, as well as a pose between the two very opposite characters.

"Proportions." She read.

She flipped to the first pages of the actual work. It was very simplistic, not being fully shaded or colored. However, there were several pages. It did have a very eerie feel to it though. The main story was of two cosplayers who had undenying feelings for one another. Physically and mentally the two were very different. But as she flipped on to the heavier scenes of the story, she came to a dramatic realization.

The tall and busty girl of the story was her. Hiyori had immortalized Patricia into a loving relationship with her friend Konata. She wasn't completely sure what to think of this at all. It was flattering, yet embarrassing at the same time. Patricia's positive image changed to a very deep red, filled with mixed feelings. She kept reading on as the tiny girl and the large girl kept moving in different scenes.

She was so engrossed within the story; she ignored the screams she heard through the walls. This was unlike anything Hiyori had made before. It was possibly on a godly level tier that surpassed the many works based of Minami and Yutaka. Every movement and reaction was more detailed. She had definitely done her homework on this one. And the bodies were well sculpted even if they were in the costumes of the ladies of Rozen Maiden.

At that moment…

Hiyori slowly entered the door, carrying a tray filled with sliced oranges and barley tea. The perfect items for a light snack.

"Sorry for the wait…" She said.

As she opened her eyes, she saw the unbelievable. Her best friend looking at possible magnum opus, completely blown out of her mind. The shock caused her to drop the tray with the fruit, but the one with tea still stayed with in her hands. She placed the tea down and approached her friend with new found vigor. She was blushing furiously instead of going into her depressive mood due to Kaito's empowering words of wisdom.

"Wh-Why are you looking at that!?" She demanded.

"I just…wanted to see anything new you were making." Patricia tried to sound angelic, but to no avail.

"Can't you respect my space with these things Patty? Us Mangakas are sensitive to people reading our unfinished works!"

"Sensitive?" She said slightly offended. "But this new work is about me! And Kona-chan! Why did you draw us instead of sticking with the other two?"

"To be honest…" She began. "I saw you two acting very, I don't know, close at Comiket. And it just hit me that I should try something new with my doujins. I didn't want Patty-chan, but you and Konata-sempai just looked so pure and cute. I couldn't ignore that…"

She slowly absorbed all of her words. Even if the doujin was very hot and heavy, it was still an honor to be credited in one of Tamura's works. Her prowess had reached doujin circles across the nation, but it did feel nice to be credited.

"Well…thank you Hiyorin." Patricia said. "I guess being in your works is a pleasure…"

"It's fine, Patty-chan."

"Oh…" The foreigner looked around. "Where are Minami and Yutaka?"

"When we were preparing the oranges, Yutaka accidentally cut herself with the knife. And of course with that kind of moment, Minami was quick to jump on that opportunity to help her out."

"Poor Yu-chan."

"It kind of makes me wonder though. Konata-sempai said that innocent mistakes like that can be incredibly moe…but is it really if she could get seriously injured?"

"Hmm, not sure. Maybe we should ask her later."

"Sounds good."

"Oh yeah, Hiyorin?" She said sweetly.

"What?"

"When you complete this work, would you mind making my character a little less oblivious? I don't want anyone to figure it out this is me."

"No problem." She dismissed. But suddenly her attitude adjusted. "Under one condition."

"What's that?"

"Can you stop being so nosy with people's personal belongings?"

Patricia could only sweat drop as she was still holding the prized, incomplete doujin.

* * *

"Do you want to play a game Hiiragi?" Misao asked

"Uh, sure."

"Find something for me to play to Misa-chan." Ayano said.

Kagami decided to take this day to spend more time with her friends of class 3-C. She often ignored them, so she felt obligated to give them her company. Misao wanted to have a sleep over today and believed it would have been boring if only Ayano were to accompany her. The tsundere had no problem going, knowing that her sister and Konata wouldn't be bugging them about homework.

The fanged girl fingered through her nice selection of PS2 games. She wanted to find something fun that she was good at. She did want to have some pride in beating the class representative at a video game. Playing with Izumi did give her some caliber of skill. Looking through her library she noticed most of her games were exclusive for multiplayer, such as fighting games. She made a delightful smile pulling a game from the shelf.

Ayano and Kagami watched on as she happily walked into her closet. She carelessly pushed away pieces clothes and boxes full of things to find what she wanted. Successfully, she pulled out two strange white, square mats from the closet vibrantly decorated with black, pink, and blue. She hooked everything up quickly as she turned on the console.

"You like those games Kusakabe-chan?" Kagami asked.

"Oh yeah, I love this kind of game even though I always get sweaty playing them." She admitted.

"Didn't you say that your track and field club allows you to play this?" Ayano mentioned.

"We personally use it for stretching of lower body and it's helpful for sprinting. It's good especially for when it rains outside."

"Ah, makes sense."

"Do you want to start things off?"

Kagami quickly waved her fans. "I'd rather see what kind of skills you have."

"Okay!"

At this point, the screen had fully loaded. Misao immediately wanted to show off her skills. She had already picked the songs she wanted and selected one of the harder difficulties. Due to the large load time, she took this time to stretch her legs just so she wouldn't freeze up while playing. Kagami watched intuitively as she put much dedication into this game.

"Does it really help with sports?"

"Yep!" She said proudly. "There have been many stories about lazy kids who play them to lose weight so it's been very helpful for us." As she looked back at the screen, she smiled as she looked back at her friend. "Hey Hiiragi…"

"Shut up!" She screamed, knowing her implication.

* * *

The two teenagers stood poised for the final confrontation. It was the perfect time for dueling as school was not for another several hours. Even after slipping into more comfortable clothing, the two of them looked sweated and fatigued. They glanced at each other. Their friendship was put on a hold for this second, just for the sake of competition. The girl quickly nodded, signifying she was ready.

The television blared out the sound fibre composite smacking against rubber. A yellow flash moved across the screen past the halfway point. The last following sound within the transaction would be whiff of loops going through air. As the screen replayed the transaction, the TV spoke:

"15-Love."

The opposing side complained.

"Oh, that's too fast Kaito-kun!"

"We are tied and you are complaining now?" He smirked.

It had been awhile that Kaito had a challenge in the game. It was one of the first games he had purchased due to its easy difficulty and appeal to everyone. His extensive play gave him mastery in every single sport. With the exception of the abridged and incredibly boring second game.

He focused back on the sport at hand. It was still his serve. His eyes shifted between the girl and the screen hoping for a sign of weakness. In a quick flick, he sent the ball flying passed the court towards the representative of his opponent. But this time, she was able to return his amazing serve. He turned his wrist, slicing the ball back with his player who was hogging the net.

She was able to keep up with the speed though by returning each ball. It was an endless pattern; the true goal was to make the opponent slip up. Hopefully the ball would go out of the camera's aim or it would go straight through each avatar. She tried a different tactic though. The ball was lobbed, being missed by the first character on Kaito's side and going to his back player. As the back player slammed his racquet against the ball, it had went to the opposite direction instead of a proper return.

"Out. 15 all." The television announced.

"See, Patricia-chan?"

"Fine, fine."

On the third serve, the ball was gracefully returned with fast speed. The save was dependant now on the back player, putting Patricia on the offensive. His hand dashed forward, trying to put extra power into the ball. But instead, it returned lazily to the front player. She positioned her right wrist and moved it in fast swipe. The curve placed on the ball was too much for the camera and players to handle.

"15-30."

Kaito growled. "Grr, I hate the mechanics of this game."

"You shouldn't be complaining, now should you?" Some of her confidence returning.

"If we could freely control these players you would be dead."

At that moment though, the screen returned back to gameplay. Kaito went back to his quick-flick style of serving, guaranteeing a fast one every time. Patricia anticipated this giving a light swing of her controller. However, the game responded differently. Her character swung the racquet wildly in different side of the ball. It flailed as it appeared as her character tripped as the ball hit the back of the court.

"30 all."

"Stupid game!" She shouted.

Kaito laughed at her response. He knew the game was ignorant too, but it's better when it works in his favor.

He smashed his fifth serve right after the replay finished. She returned it swiftly as it passed right over the net hog. Kaito's back player top spun it smoothly, going over Patricia's own player. The two characters at the back kept returning shots. There was no true control in the game; it was all decided on fate. He gripped onto his remote tightly as he shot the ball to a different side of the court. Patricia didn't want to lose the match as her little Mii moved as fast as it could towards the ball. She focused all her power into the next swing that would hopefully destroy Kaito mentally. But as she swung, she forgot a very vital fact about all players.

Her controller, fueled by the sweat of her hands went flying across the room. Both of their eyes shrunk as they didn't want the remote to cause any wanton destruction. It collided against the kitchen door going between the space of her roommate and her TV. He was stunned nearly knowing that thing could have smashed into his face or broken the only television in the house. But at least he still earned a point from the game.

"Oh, Patricia…" He sighed.

She immediately grabbed the fallen remote from across the room. She could feel Kaito's shame emitting from his body.

"I'm sorry Kaito-kun. I just forgot to put on the strap because I've never played it for such long time before."

"Have you ever read those stories though about things breaking from that though? I wouldn't want you to buy a new one."

"It's my mistake…"

"Maybe you should game some more so you should get used to it. Though I will admit that it's a pain that we have to take precautions to do these things."

"I know. But I just feel so bad now to forget something so obvious."

"It's fine. I don't really feel like playing any more now." He dismissed.

Kaito held his button on his console, ensuring the video would be turned off. He removed his strap and dropped the remote in the box, Patricia's following him. He nestled comfortably in the kotatsu as he grabbed onto the remote. The foreigner sat next to the boy, relieved she wouldn't have to worry about this again. The safest thing to do now would be to do something that required no movement at all.

"So who won the match?" Patricia asked.

"Clearly I did." He grinned. "Since you nearly destroyed the television and I still received the point."

"But you turned off the game. We could have kept playing."

"That is true…can we call it a draw?"

"No way! We've been playing a really long match. Can you really say you would want something like that to end as a draw?"

That was true…this wasn't as simple as a one game match. "No…"

"So how about we just say that I won?" She asked.

Kaito didn't really want to argue with the question. He did turn off the console when she could have continued playing. And with this disaster narrowly adverted, there was no point in making another.

"Oh fine, you won." He smiled.

She happily placed one arm around his shoulder as she laughed and started to watch TV. Kaito's feelings of doubt faded away as he leaned further against the wall. It made him happy that he was able to live with such an understanding roommate. Even if she did steal a victory from him…

* * *

Hehe, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It's kind of hard to work with Yutaka, Minami, Hiyori and Patty in the same scene since they don't really do much as a group. And they talk about the same things. For you Ouendan fans, I hope you enjoyed the referencing as I had planned that shower scene from fairly early on.

Oh yeah, if anyone of you have ever played Wii Tennis, that happens a lot, doesn't it?

Please Review!


	17. A Steady Concept

Hey everyone. I apologize for my late update. As soon as the college semester ends, a new one begins. I've been getting a little less privacy and been having trouble, but I can assure you that the next few chapters should come out smoothly. Trust me, I'll never give up on this story.

Another problem I had was with filler...it's much harder than it looks. How do most animes now a days do it? Do they have a giant stockpile of filler ideas to go nuts on if the writer ever needs time to work? That was perhaps the biggest issue. Plus, I decided to move some scenes ahead earlier than I planned. I seriously hope you enjoy the second scene, for I think it is the best.

**Disclaimer:** An Epic Man by the name of Kagami Yoshimizu owns Lucky Star.

* * *

**Chapter 17: A Steady Concept**

The next morning in the middle of Saitama Prefecture, a weary Kagami stretched her limbs as she stood from her makeshift bed. She rolled her neck as she remembered the sleepover from yesterday. Her friends from class had a good night talking about very standard subjects of food, games and school. The tsundere could hang around with them well but she just felt really adjusted with her own friends. It made her feel a little guilty as she watched the two of them sleeping.

Misao was completely slumped over her bed. She lazily snored away as her mouth was wide open showing off her fang. Her blankets were wrinkled as they partially covered over her body. Even her sleeping habits matched her personality. Ayano on the other hand looked extraordinarily bliss as she laid in her futon. Her body was curled up close in the bed as she kept a very warm smile on her face.

Kagami felt awake now as she walked out the bedroom of the unfamiliar house. Lucky for her that Misao's room was right next to the kitchen. She looked at the kitchen table; it was already prepared with omelets for the three teenagers. Her friend's house did at least feel very welcoming for the girl. Just as Kagami was about to sit down, she was approached by a tan skinned woman.

"Hiiragi-chan, is Misao awake?"

"No, I'm the only one up."

"You better hurry, school starts soon." She said.

Kagami's initiative kicked into full speed as she looked around the room. The clock indicated there were only thirty minutes to do everything. She felt dirty knowing the part of the wasted time was spent playing that insipid game in Misao's room for so long. Without warning she dashed out of the kitchen and towards the bedroom of her friend. She took a deep breath before sliding the door open.

"Hey! Wake up you two!"

Ayano perked her head up quite quickly to the sound of Kagami's voice. Misao still seemed unaffected from the sound of her shrill voice. Perhaps she had built up an immunity that formed with her combined laziness. The tsundere wasn't in the mood for arguing so she simply grabbed the fanged girl by her loose tank top.

"Kusakabe! Get up now!"

Misao slowly shifted her eyes open, trying to comprehend everything. "Wha? Hiiragi what are you doing in my house?"

She sighed as she placed her fingers on her temples, letting the girl go. "You're as bad as Tsukasa…we need to get going. It would be bad for the class representative to be late!"

"Fine, fine…"

Misao slowly set her self up as she began rifling through her clothes. Her best friend followed up be getting her serafuku out of a bag and slipping it on. Kagami walked back into the comforting kitchen of the Kusakabe household. She sat and quickly, but elegantly ate through her food. She looked around seeing Misao's mom had already begun cleaning the house while her dad was already out for work. It made her feel happy knowing that everyone else in her family was efficient.

The fanged girl groggily walked into the kitchen with Ayano closing behind her. As she sat in her chair, her head was nearly touching the desk with her hair hanging downward. With a quick smell though, her senses pick up as she drooled over her food with new found inspiration.

"You made omelets mom?! Thanks!" She said.

"It was nothing for my daughter."

Misao quickly took a happy bite into her food, making a neat nibbling sound as she chewed thoroughly through the egg. The grin in her face became even wider.

"Ooh, and you filled them with meat balls!"

Kagami grinned. "Hehe, Misao you remind me a lot of Tsukasa. She's usually really tired in the morning and will perk up instantly when she sees something she likes."

"Speaking of which…" The girl in question said as she was chewing. "You sure do a ton of things for Tsukasa, is she ever really good at anything?"

Kagami's happiness took an opposite spin hearing the shameless question. "That's a rude thing to say. But as you know she's a pretty good cook."

Misao got a glimmer in her eye over that statement. "Ah…but I know for a fact that Ayano-chan has to be the best cook in the school."

The normal girl scratched that back of her head in innocence. "I do like to hone my craft."

"Can she do anything else other than cook?"

As Kagami was about to make a strong statement, she began thinking through normal things people would do. She didn't play games much, video or physical. Her athletic skills are a bit poor and her academics show she is always in constant need of help. And even though she was a very excelled baker, she would often forget important ingredients or groceries to buy. And the poor girl has burned something on more than one occasion, while Ayano seemed to have perfected anything.

"Well…" Kagami began in her defense of her sister. "I suppose that when someone is good at something, you only remember them for that one thing."

"Ah." Misao said, plucking the last bit of egg and meat ball in her mouth. "So I suppose that's nothing?"

"Shut up." She said sharply.

* * *

During the middle of the day in the cafeteria, Kaito, Ryuta, Minoru and Taichi sat around dully as they were finishing their meals. Three of them sparked up a conversation about girls while the chubby one was thumbing through a random tankobon. Kaito gnawed on his katsu sandwich to try to keep out of the situation. When word spread about him living with the gaijin, the students had already started making rumors. The anonymous didn't speak to him personally about the issue, but he knew people were saying things.

"But she definitely has a great body, wouldn't you agree Minoru?" Ryuta said.

"I suppose, many of the girls look the same to me." The boy responded.

"Sound the same too..." He said, adjusting his glasses. "I guess that's why you have to go for ones that stick out from the crowd."

"The hardest part I think though would be asking them out. You do have to worry about their friends."

"That's true. Asking out a girl in public is so embarrassing. It feels like the entire student body doesn't do anything other than look at what you do." His voice tensed up. "That's why it's been hard for me."

"It's ok."

As they concluded that, the two immediately focused on Kaito who had finished his last sandwich. He was supposedly living the otaku fantasy. He didn't really want to talk about it as everything had to be done super delicately. He made a defeated sigh as he wiped the mustard from his face and dropped it on his tray.

"Go ahead. Ask."

"Have you done anything in particular with Patricia-san?" Ryuta asked.

He stared at him blankly. "No."

"Do you have any plans?"

"Not really…"

Ryuta grunted seeing the lack of masculinity from his friends. "Come on dude, it's been weeks, hasn't it? Are you going to make any kind of move?"

"Ryuta-kun." He began. "This is different than a visual novel; there are consequences to any mistake I might make."

"You have to do something."

"Listen, if I make the situation awkward that'll just lead to more problems. I might not get along with her and she might tell her friends. And as I said before, female otakus are a rarity, so you have to stay with them. Nothing beats the rage you will see from a fujoshi. If she kicks me out, that will make things worse. I'd have to go back with my parents and they'd learn that I had lied to them. Then you would get in trouble too. And finally I might lose any female friend I might have had in the last five or so years."

Shiraishi sweat dropped. "I think you are over assuming with this issue Kaito-san. Martin-san doesn't seem to have any problem with you. Wouldn't she at least give you a second chance since you've been working as her servant?"

"Who knows? Either way it sucks that we, as men, are obligated to make the first move. Not sure why people have to think it works that way."

"We would definitely have more couples if the girls were more open with their affections." Minoru stated. "Men give into that kind of thing, right?"

"Naturally," Ryuta agreed.

"Don't get me wrong, I should really do something." Kaito said. "I just don't think it's really necessary. I have a good thing going on now. Patricia-chan will probably let me live there when I go to college."

"Your brother goes to Tokyo University, correct?" The bespectacled one asked.

"Yeah. And he doesn't really like it. They really want his money. I'll probably be going there too, but I've at least learned how universities really function. Being the younger brother can have its advantages."

"College is going to be even more tempting for you, isn't it?" Ryuta joked.

"You really should try having a girlfriend before making assumptions about me." Kaito said sourly. The boy immediately surrendered after that statement. "Maybe I can try taking a look at least at the girl. I do owe it to myself since it is the responsibility of man to become manly. I might be safe, considering what she did yesterday."

"What did she do?" Minoru asked.

"We were playing on the Wii and the remote slipped out of her hand."

The statement made Taichi lower his manga. "That actually happens _in real life_?"

"It nearly hit me."

Ryuta laughed. "Oh, the wondrous things that happen when you hang out with girls. Now you really should treat yourself to something kind of devious."

"Do you have anything in mind, Kaito-san?" Minoru asked.

"I think I can take a peek at her before she sleeps or right after she wakes up. That's the best time I can think have when girls don't wear much clothes. The shower would just be too risky, so maybe I can try something from there."

Ryuta enthusiastically patted his back. "There you go! You are finally doing something manly…you'll tell us details won't you?"

"Like always…but I want you all to do me a favor when I tell you all about this."

"What is that, Kaito-san?"

"Over the past couple of days I've been reading about a new game I can import from the United States that has been defined as a whole new gaming experience. It uses all four of us and I think when I finally get it we should all play it together at Patricia-chan's house."

"That's a favor?" Ryuta jokingly asked.

"We really need to enjoy this game. I'll be finally getting use out of my Playstation 3. I've spent about 28000 yen total on the game so far."

Taichi once again placed his manga volume down. "You've spent all that money on a video game you haven't even played?!"

"Well, I would have spent less but people on forums have been complaining that the peripherals have a few problems. So I had to buy a third party one. And considering shipping costs, I'm actually surprised I got such a good deal."

"Your video game obsession is insane, Kaito-san." Minoru said.

"I guarantee you that the whole thing it'll be worth it. If the game proves to be useful, we'll have a game that we can all play for months."

"That would be nice that we can finally play something for fun instead of for competition." Ryuta said.

"Ok, so I'll tell Patricia-chan about everything and hopefully we can invite you over when the game arrives in the mail."

"Sounds good."

"I can do that."

As Kaito looked at his two friends, he looked at the fourth member of his group hoping for a response. But he didn't seem to care as he was becoming a bit too engrossed with his personal manga. He adjusted his eyes to look at the manga, trying to see what all the fuss was about. On inspection of the cover and the very noticeable school uniform, Kaito's happy expression turned to a very disappointed scowl.

He had to deal with the unfortunate pleasure of seeing that series recently. For some reason broadcasters thought it would be a good idea to turn that very demoralizing story into an anime. While there were heavy innuendos all about like a normal perverted story, the main character's overwhelming cowardice made him hated by everyone. It really made him feel ashamed that his friend would read such an awful story.

At that moment Kaito decided it would be best to take up his tray. He snagged his friends' trays as he stood, but quickly grabbed the tankobon from Taichi's fingers. Within a flash, the boy dumped all the items in the trash giving the overweight kid no time to react. Kaito walked back to the table smugly disposing of the garbage. He expected a very angry friend but Ryuta and Minoru waited patiently, intrigued to see what would happen.

"Oi, what did you throw that in the trash?!" An outraged Taichi said.

"Because that's where that manga deserves to be, in the trash."

"What's wrong with it?" He tried to defend it.

"I don't know…it's a predictable ecchi series about a prepubescent boy?"

Ryuta sighed. "Sorry Taichi-kun, but he's right."

"It's funny though."

"I've tried watching that series before." Kaito explained. "If you think a boy walking into boobs is funny then you need your head examined."

Ryuta began. "A problem with fanservice is that you can't make an entire show based off that. I mean, you can make a great action or comedic show with fanservice in it…but otherwise it's pointless. Watching a fanservice-based show is completely pointless and a slap in the face to the entire industry."

"Do those kinds of shows even show bare flesh?" Minoru asked curiously.

Kaito scratched his chin. "I can think of maybe…one time they actually showed something. Otherwise it's completely wasted time."

"Fine, fine, I get your point," Taichi said.

"No, listen Taichi-kun. If you want fanservice, that's fine. But seriously you should just watch a good series that has perhaps one character for fanservice. And perhaps someone useful so that you realize the creator had a good reason to make that character." The one glasses stated.

"But if you do want to see boobs, summon up some courage and buy an eroge. Or use a computer to download something." Kaito said bluntly.

"But won't I get stared at?" Taichi said.

"You probably get more stares buying an ecchi series." Ryuta said.

"Oh look, that boy must be buying that series about the girls with humongous breasts because the story is so hilarious and deep." Kaito said mockingly.

"Enough!" He screamed, understanding his mistake. His three friends looked at him with demented grins.

* * *

At Ryoo High School, several students were packed into the large kitchen of the Home Economics room. Most of them were in a state of panic as the teacher made them do an out-of-blue cooking assignment. Groups of three were forced to make different varieties of soups to be tasted. The teacher would usually grade on effort, but the flavor of course is the key essence of cooking.

But throughout all the bedlam, the group of Konata, Miyuki and Tsukasa was able to keep up confidence and balance. They agreed on making an onion soup to impress the teacher, knowing everyone would go for the more common styles with miso or dashi. Konata, being the most cautious, controlled the heat and hardware of the kitchen. Tsukasa and Miyuki were set on chopping vegetables. But as they did so…

"Ooh…" Miyuki said rubbing her eyes.

"What's wrong, Yuki-chan?" Tsukasa asked.

"I don't like chopping onions. They always make my eyes water up."

Tsukasa nodded furiously starting to feel the sting of the chemicals. "I hate that feeling. Onions are so good with nearly everything yet they always have to sting you."

"I believe when you chop onions, their cells break and they release gases into the air. When it contacts with your eye it can create a substance similar to that of sulfuric acid."

The nervous girl stopped chopping for a second to try to get the tears from her eyes. "That's not the only problem. If you hold one for two long, the smell starts to get beneath your fingernails and it doesn't leave for days!"

"That can be an annoyance as well, but I read the best solution to get rid of the smell to wash your hands with coins. The metal neutralizes the smell."

"They say that the best way to keep the onion from stinging your eyes is to run the onions under cool water as you cut them or to wash the onions before cutting them."

"Did we wash the onions?"

"I don't think so."

"You know…" Konata interjected. "They say that onions sting the worse when you talk as you cut them."

The two other girls panicked that their discussion was making their problem much worse. In order to compensate, the meganekko took her onions and vegetables to one of the few available sinks to continue cutting. She turned on the running water as she tried to chop the onions on the zoru. She was able to do it with her novice cooking skills, but it did make everything awfully slow. But the onion smell did start to fade.

On the other side of the area, Tsukasa dropped her vegetables to water. Konata quickly had all of her bouillon dissolved into to water, so she was prepared. As they brought the items to a boil and added the seasons, they looked over at their third member still struggling with the main ingredient.

"Miyuki-san, are you finished? We have everything else ready." Konata said.

"I believe I have everything finally chopped." Miyuki said as she moved all of her items towards her partners. But the two of them flinched seeing an obvious problem with her transportation method.

"Mi-Miyuki-san!" Konata interrupted. "When in a kitchen, you should never carry around a knife forward! It might hit someone."

The glasses wearing girl looked down at her hand seeing that her knife was carried in an upward position with the tip pointing forward. She panicked not knowing the type of problems that carrying kitchen tools. She couldn't even finish her quick delivery as she put her items on a counter.

"I'm sorry! I'll be more careful next time!" She apologized.

Tsukasa made a sigh of relief knowing Miyuki would understand the rules of kitchen safety. Konata however looked over the situation with much curiosity.

"Perhaps this is why psycho-moe and yunderes have started to gain such popular success..."

* * *

The next morning, Kaito waited diligently for Patricia to awaken. He stayed hidden in the confines of his warm futon hoping for the girl to get up soon. Even though half an hour had passed he still remained looking at the ceiling or opposite wall. He simply couldn't stare at her, it would be too obvious. The boy had to stay in position pretending to be asleep. He wasn't as innocent as she had assumed.

Kaito did have pretty good knowledge in what his roommate liked and disliked. And her joy of sleeping in skimpy clothing was something he knew and usually respected. But today he had to prove his true manliness to his friends. It wasn't anything serious or physical, so he believed she would be fine with it. He wasn't going to tell anyone else about it but his friends. He did feel emasculated knowing she heard him singing j-pop on the shower.

His senses sharpened as he felt a presence from behind him. The covers rustled as he heard a delicate moan. It was showtime. He planted his head straight into the ground, waiting to hear her footsteps. He shut his eyes, knowing only to open when the opportunity was right like a disguised spy. Patricia's sounds were followed with stretching, yawning, and normal morning activities.

It was the perfect time. He could feel the vibrations of her feet pressing against the carpet. As she slowly moved forward, time seemed to have slow down. The fissure of her muscles hitting the ground spread from his toes up to his brain. Slowly, he lifted his eyelids hoping to see the foreign beauty before his eyes. The moment was perfect; nothing could destroy him focus.

Even though he only had look at her from side, he could see everything. Her lingerie was in a sky blue color matching her eyes and great personality. He couldn't help but alternate between every feature of her body. That American stereotype the Japanese had was absolutely true with this girl. It was perfect that he could stare at her curvaceous body as it moved normally throughout the apartment.

The clothing held up tightly, yet supportive of her supple body. He couldn't help but gaze as the blue, skimpy outfit hugged her glistening skin. The feminine curves were absolutely perfect from Kaito's upward angle. It was a very strange, but satisfying balance seeing her physique nestled within the lingerie. Even her legs and back appeared more beautiful than ever imagined as they complimented her breasts and lower body.

But within that small time frame of ecstasy, Kaito quickly shut his eyes as he saw Patricia take a ninety degree turn to her walk in closet. The boy turned his head to the ceiling with his hands resting behind his pillow. It was only the start of the day and he had that gleeful image etched into his brain.

"Oh man, that was so worth the wait." Kaito thought happily. "And they say Miyuki-san has the best figure in the school…but then again I haven't seen her like that. I wonder if I would be able to of seen her like that if I stayed at her house."

At that moment, Patricia popped out of the closet in her serafuku. She peaked around looking at the new morning seeing that Kaito was still asleep. But her façade quickly changed looking at the clock. She couldn't hold back her anguish.

"Ahhhh! It's only ten minutes to school!" She dashed over to roommate. "Kaito-kun! Wake up! We slept in too late!"

Kaito decided to stay still with his eyes closed. He repeated to himself. "Can't wake up too soon, she'll suspect something." He continued to lay there listless.

"Come on Kaito-kun! It's your job to keep this apartment running like a well-tune machine!"

Kaito just continued to lie there, mentally alive but physically lazy. Patricia grunted not knowing he was such a heavy, stubborn sleeper; especially with his streak of waking up before her time after time. She did think of a sure fire tactic that would wake him up though. She quickly walked into the kitchen to grab a few items. Kaito trembled, not knowing what to do or to expect. He couldn't just simply wake up now, his cover would be blown.

Patricia with her items in tow sat on her knees looking over the boy. He now made a weird breathing sound similar to snoring trying to make his slumber appear more realistic. She dangled over his head with her items not to close from his head. She slowly pressed against Kaito's nostrils. He simple went along with the charade, opening his mouth only to breath.

At that second, the fujoshi shoved an ice cold rag into his mouth. To make the even more chilly she had a ice cube wrapped neatly in the wash cloth so it wouldn't fall into his mouth. Kaito lifted his head up instantly, from the freezing temperature and randomness of the attack. He could furiously still feel the temperature on his mouth. He glared at her paranormally. He would think a kick to the ribs would have been an easier tactic.

"What was that about!?" He demanded.

She grinned as she stuck her tongue out at him. "Kaito-kun, waking of late isn't going to look good as your resume as a servant…"

He grunted, knowing that he should make some kind of quip back. He just shrugged it off as he switched into his new clothes. After all, he did get to see her in some new clothes.

* * *

Hope the last scene wasn't too bad...I do try to keep these things tasteful. Oh yeah, very nice pluses for the week of Lucky Star. An OVA was announced and Vol. 1 of the Dub was released by Bandai. And surprisingly, the Dub is very fantastically done. (And comes with a subtitle function for you audiophiles. :P)

Please Review!


	18. Endless Compromises

Hey everyone, here's the newest chapter. I will advise all readers though, that this chapter and the next one may feel a bit different than the others. It's taking a little more serious approach. Don't worry though, I still try to keep everything nice and balanced, so I'm really striving for your thoughts on this one. This is just an advisory for everyone. And I have a ton of notes at the bottom for you guys to read. Please Enjoy!

Oh yeah, and grats to DF1004 for getting the 50th Review.

**Disclaimer:** Lucky Star and it's overwhelming and awesome popularity is all thanks to Kagami Yoshimizu.

* * *

****

Chapter 18: Endless Compromises

Kaito waited patiently outside of Ryoo high school for his roommate. Time began to move at a snail's pace ever since his big move. Things were becoming ever more mundane at school and home. All of his ties with friends were calm and in a very relaxed position. He rested his upper half against the strong building as he looked up at the blue sky. The clouds kept their position for a very long time. Perhaps time itself had been slowing down due to vast technological improvement. The myth of clouds moving after a few minutes seemed to be completely busted.

"What could they be doing…?" He moaned as his boredom was infecting his brain. He was accustomed to waiting for Patricia, but today felt incredibly long. Everyday she and Hiyori would walk out together and they part when they got to the buses. The whole apartment shift was much more irritating then he had thought. He had to make sure where Patricia was before he could go anywhere. And they only had one key between the two of them.

His senses perked up though hearing a nearby door open. Kaito stood now with his attention focused at the sound. He immediately recognized the two first year students getting a glimpse at their hair. As they exited the shadows though, he did notice something awfully amiss with them. Unlike the normally cheerful deposition they had, their heads were sagging from necks, only looking at the ground below.

Even with the girls' appearance, he still approached them a bit bluntly. The unknown power of boredom had an insane effect on teenagers.

"Finally." He said as he came close to the two. "What took you guys so long?"

Hiyori moved a bit closer to the boy who was unaware of the two. "Sorry Kaito-sempai," She said. "We've both been having a bit of a rough day. Not only were we bombarded with work, but I've been completely unmotivated to do any work. Patty-chan also has been a bit insecure lately. I'm not completely sure what's with her, but she could be feeling homesick."

Kaito nodded slowly listening to her alibi. As an otaku, it was common for him to wait for new pieces of art because the creator had felt completely drained and tired. Mangakas would commonly wait a week or two before posting new work. For his roommate, it was perfectly understandable. He had chosen to stay out of any of her personal information. Foreigners probably didn't have to worry about alienation if they were visiting, but this was much different.

He lowered his tone. "So, Patricia-chan. Are you going to work today?"

Despite her appearance, she instantly lifted her head up to the sound of work. "Oh yeah! I'll definitely be going to work today. We're going to try something new with the audience and have them vote on something that happens in today's performance."

"Getting the fans to choose the outcome," Hiyori said with her hand on her chin. "Very interesting."

"We're always looking for new ways to attract customers." She continued. "Here, take the key Kaito-kun." She quickly reached into her bad to pull out a single key held by a small chibi figure. She made a light toss to her friend who caught it by the edge of the metal. "I'm going to have to get going though. The train usually takes some time and this is a new scene we are preparing, so I'm going to need to rehearse. Not to mention that I'll still have to wait over some of the customers. I'll get going!"

With that, Patricia dashed off to her own destination. Her café was a bit out of the way while her and Hiyori's domicile remained in Saitama. The two remaining otakus walked towards the bus. Lucky for them many buses around the country would wait a little bit for those who were late. They bus was lowly occupied so they were able in the more comfortable back seats. As they sat down, Kaito laid his neck on the very top his cushion.

"I'm so bored!" he complained. His mind began to wonder looking at all the metal in the vehicle.

Hiyori giggled at his lack of comfort. "That's funny. Other than lack of inspiration, I always find boredom to be one of the reasons I don't get anything done."

"I guess it's natural for otakus be lazy. It's so strange though."

"Maybe things like the internet have made it harder for us to keep our concentration. Since we can do so many things at once."

"You can do tons of things at your computer. I can eat, play an online game, and look up random facts all at once. And I usually do it a lot.

"I usually do more than that, but my parents have me eat at the dinner table. I can play games, look for inspiration, listen to music and edit my drawing all at the same time."

"Well it makes me feel happy I'm not the only one who multitasks." Kaito said. "How is your new doujin coming along?"

"Fine. I have a decent amount of work done, but the hard part now is to think of an ending."

"Ah yes, Patricia did tell me about that." The meganekko started to fret knowing that she couldn't stop her friends from saying things. "It shouldn't be too hard though."

"Maybe I should start going to the café some more. Comiket did give me the idea for the story after all."

"Speaking of which, I have a question about Patricia-chan."

Hiyori nodded. "Go ahead."

Kaito scratched his face. "It's a little embarrassing but, what would you say makes her happy?"

"Hmm…" She began to think. Surely it wouldn't be hard for an intellectual like her to think what her best friend liked. "You could always treat her to otaku things. It's been awhile since we've been to Maiden Road."

"That's nice and all, but I don't really want to risk my reputation as a man." He dismissed. "How about you, what always cheers you up?"

"Drawing!" She enthusiastically said.

"Well then…" He started to think. "What would you say gets you in the best artistic mood?"

"That's easy," she said as she laid her head against the cushion. "The best way to start doing anything artistic begins with having the perfect atmosphere. When inspiration hits, that can work, but if I want to do anything casual I just have to set up everything perfectly. I usually do most of my work after I bathe, or eat, because I feel the most peaceful after doing that stuff. A good attitude leads to a good story."

"A good attitude…"

When he thought about it, it had been awhile since him or Patricia had a really good meal. They'd usually eat very simple or common things like ramen or curry. If he tried something a bit more elaborate, maybe it would make her day better. Even if she might be cosplaying today, it's not a bad idea to try. Some shopping and a new meal would keep his boredom astray.

"That's a good idea Hiyori-chan."

Before the meganekko could react though, the bus made a sudden stop, jerking everyone inside. They looked out the windows seeing the benches and signs indicating it was a new bus stop. Hiyori jumped from her seat but noticed that Kaito was still in his seat, yet with an odd smile.

"Uh, Kaito-sempai? This is our stop."

"Yes, but on the next stop there's a great grocery store. So I think I'll be cooking a nice meal to pass the time."

"Ah…smart. We'll I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"One more thing." He said.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

As quick as he said that, Hiyori felt a strange presence on her body. Kaito's arms were wrapped around her shoulders. His once lazy body was now standing. She didn't really expect anything like this, but he was a friend after all. She took the time to enjoy this, grabbing on to his forearm. Her creativity had given someone else inspiration for a good day. As he let go, he sat down eagerly awaiting the next stop. Hiyori walked off the bus with her face in a delightful crimson shade.

* * *

At the supermarket, Kaito looked around curiously with a hand basket in tow. He was looking at the large amounts of produce for today's meal. With his parents he never actually took the time to look through this particular section of the store. Usually he would be focused talking to his friends or looking at any of the junk food. Responsibility had began seeping in through his skin.

Kaito had the entrée figured out. Steak, simple and tasty. He enjoyed eating meat and someone like Patricia would most likely enjoy it too. The only thing he needed was some side dishes. The meal had to be balanced, as the cooking teacher informed that multiple flavors, colors, and decorations were necessary for a perfect meal. As he looked further into the aisle, he began forming ideas.

He grabbed leeks, potatoes, radishes, seaweed, and cucumbers for preparation. A salad and soup would fit pretty nicely with the steak. He tried to fully remember the kitchen, making sure there was a decent amount of everything else. Dashi and Miso were staples, as well as soy sauce. While all that was there, he did miss the key things to make everything perfect: The spices.

Kaito moved to a nearby aisle containing the spices and several other dry ingredients for breads. He had quickly reached a large library of the materials trying to find the necessary ones. The boy was lucky enough to have made the steak before. He peaked off each and ingredient and added it to his basket: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and Paprika. Near the spices, he grabbed a small glass of olive oil, a little secret touch he would add. Everything else was at the house. He did groan however over the ridiculous prices for mere enhancers of the food.

Out of the isle, he looked at the large wall of the supermarket. It displayed all of the meat whether it be packaged or freshly slaughtered. He peered by trying to find the beef, passing the large amounts of seafood and poultry. Reaching the correct meat, he looked around for something of the best value; some nice, decent-looking steaks that didn't break his wallet. Something like Kobe or Matsusaka would have to be for a better time.

He focused his eyes on a four well cut pieces of meat. The price was reasonable, asking for 3500 Yen for the prime cuts. There was no way he was going to eat all of it now, but it would be nice to have some for a later time. His dry rub would work well with any other time of food at any time. As he grabbed the styrofoam and plastic, he felt a strange pressure coming from it. To a different side of the meat, there was a hand pulling in the opposite direction.

As Kaito was about to shout at his opponent, his defense dropped realizing who it was.

"Yo Yasuhiro!" Nanako said as she looked face to face with her fellow customer.

"Oh…hello Kuroi-sensei." He said nervously.

"You just shopping for dinner?"

"Yep."

The teacher grinned. "Heh. It's good to see kids now a days doing things for themselves instead of constantly depending on other people."

Kaito decided to simply go along with the charade. "I suppose. Sometimes I do feel embarrassed about how lazy teenagers can be."

"So, are you going to let me have this steak?" She said coyly.

He sweat dropped releasing she still had her hands hooked onto the food. However even with her firm grip on the food she still kept a very wide smile. All those years of punching lazy students must have passed on to every other situation. He couldn't give up though, this was steak.

"Sorry, I can't."

"Are you sure Yasuhiro?" She said, implementing doom on him and getting closer to his face.

"I need it." He could only say.

"We all need steak. Are you doing anything?"

"It's rare for me to cook, so I'm entertaining my friends."

"Oh. I see then. Go ahead and take it."

Kaito quickly moved his food into his hand basket. Yet under that amount of product was a similar line-up of meat. Its price was slightly off, but it looked tasty nonetheless. Kuroi took it from the chilly area and moved it into her cart. It made him feel silly that he didn't notice anything under that specific package. He didn't want to suffer from Kuroi's fist due to this minor skirmish. It didn't stop her in her workplace after all.

"Don't act so scared Yasuhiro." She said, eyeing through his fear. "I can't hit you here. That's called Assault."

"That should make me feel better…yet it doesn't." He muttered.

"I can respect someone getting steak just to please their friends. That always makes people happy."

"We're you planning on entertaining Kuroi-sensei?" He asked.

"Nah, I just like the taste of steak."

"A teacher like you should definitely be able to enjoy steak. No matter who you are with."

Nanako laughed at that, making Kaito feel more uncomfortable. "Oh, I've never received a compliment like that before! But nah, I just like eating steak by myself. Makes me feel comfortable."

Kaito blinked at that statement. "You're not married?"

"Nope."

"That's a shame…" He said.

Kuroi instantly clenched her fist and moved it within the boy's sights. "What was that?"

"No, no!" He panicked, shaking his arms around furiously. "I just think it's a shame that no man has taken the time to know you and marry you."

Nanako didn't realize that was what he meant. As she thought that over, he started pandering over her body thinking about all of her aspects. Her hair was long and her mouth had a very cute fang. Not to mention she held a job as a teacher no matter how she treated her students. That did deserve some credit. And from what Konata had said, she would play video games often.

"You really think I could marry someone?" she said with hope in her voice.

"You? Without a doubt." Kaito said pridefully. The amount of moe factors she had was surprising for her age. "Sometimes I even wonder about how my parents married. It just goes to show that anyone can do it."

The two had a happy laugh knowing they would have a good night. Kuroi did feel a bit weary though. She never had met that otaku's parents...

* * *

At the apartment, Kaito diligently went to work finishing everything for the menu. His vegetables were chopped, the steaks were rubbed, and the dashi broth was coming to a boil. He placed the meat onto a pan and put it into the oven to broil. Spice completely covered it, being sure to give it a tasty coating when it was done. He went to work on the other dishes getting that out of the way.

He placed the cucumbers, seaweed, and radishes into two separate bowls for the perfect salad. Everything had to be arranged so it didn't look too sloppy or boring. In a different bowl he mixed together an equal amount of soy sauce and vinegar. With it forming all together, he grinned, completing the second part of his grand experiment. He then shifted to most dangerous part of dinner bringing with him his bowl of liquids.

The cook looked into the dashi seeing it bubbling at a faster rate. The potatoes appeared to be cooked, giving him the signal to add in the leeks. As that vegetable began softening up, he used his ladle to pour pure soup into the soy sauce and vinegar. This would soften up the taste so it wouldn't make the dressing too acidic. Carefully holding onto the ladle he sipped it slowly, trying to taste everything and making sure not to burn himself.

"Just needs the miso." He said to himself. Enough dashi was removed to make the sauce not completely thin. He added the miso into saucepan and began whisking, trying to blend the two textures together. When it came to a boil, he turned off the heat and moved it to a completely safe section of the oven. He poured them into completely new bowls, feeling the steam emit off of them.

He moved the salad, then two miso bowls onto the living room's kotatsu. After waiting for several minutes, he grabbed an over mitt and looked at the steak. It was a great combination of black from the heat and orange from the oil and spices. As he cut into his own personal piece, he saw that it was cooked at the right temperature. The steak was placed onto plates, and then moved into the correct room.

As the atmosphere appeared perfect he looked over his own experiment. The scene was looked absolutely serene. The meal was broiled, the salad was fresh, and the soup still contained heat. He glanced at the clock, knowing that around this time, she should get home. He sat himself down, looking over everything with as he licked his lips. But he had to wait. It was the gentleman thing to do.

At that moment though, his concentration broke as he heard the phone ringing. He quickly stretched his limbs as he placed the phone near his ear.

"Hello. Who is this?"

"Kaito-kun?" A sweet voice said.

The boy grinned recognizing it. "Oh, hi Patricia-chan."

"Hey, do you have dinner prepared tonight?"

"Yep!" He said confidently.

"Shoot…" She began. "Sorry Kaito-kun. It's just that due to all the work we received today that our performance got rescheduled. I probably won't be coming home until real late."

"Oh." He said, his voice weakening.

"I'm really sorry."

"It's fine. I never had a job, but my friends would tell me how things could change."

"Thank you. Be sure to keep the door unlocked, ok?"

"Sure." He said dully as the two of them hung up.

His mood now took an unpleasant slump as he sat down to his dinner. He looked over the taste trio he made with his two hands. Kaito's legs slid deeply in to the kotatsu and is he looked at the main entrée. He lazily cut one piece of the meat as he stabbed it with his fork and moved it towards his mouth. Within the first bite he shook his head furiously as he chewed on the piece of seasoned meat.

"Damn! This is good." He groaned.

He began cycling through each piece of the meal. Each item was slowly put into his mouth as he gnawed on it unenthusiastically. It was so tasty, but only he could enjoy it. At least there were leftovers he had to wrap up. His negative thoughts began seeping out of his brain. Even with his skill, it felt strange that he wasn't really allowed to touch the kitchen. And this plan was all for her, what was so important at that café?

After several minutes, his plate and bowls were completely cleaned. Every other piece of food was shoved into containers or saran-wrapped for later. All that stuff he bought at the market would hold for a good amount of time. Lucky for him, the girl had a freezer to store the meat in. With the kotatsu cleaned and everything taken away, a recurring demon loomed in the apartment. Boredom.

He sighed trying to think of things to do. The laptop would be nice but he didn't really want to spend any more time into the kitchen. He noticed at this moment that the even though this was a living room, it felt really empty. The consoles looked alone sitting there next to the television. Kuroi-sensei was kind enough not to give them any homework. He had an idea to kill time, even though it probably wouldn't take long.

He walked out of the apartment and towards the elevator. The parking lot near the complex didn't have any restrictions so he grinned seeing it still there even after all this time. Opening the trunk of the red car, he looked in awe of the large box he pulled out of it. However, it seemed much heavier than usual. He gripped onto tightly as he went back up the elevator and towards the apartment. He gently put it on the ground, stretching his spine into place.

"This thing is a colossus."

* * *

The clock had reached 23:00 as Kaito was mindless pressing buttons with glee. His head was slouched over as he tried to focus on his character on the television screen. The only movement shown from the teenager was his arms and fingers making constant twitches on his controller. His sense of awareness could be compared to that of a businessman with a tie around his forehead.

On screen he was playing as a berserk, barely clothed man as he tore through hordes of creatures and civilians. With swiftness and fury the character tore through enemies while dodging close attacks. It was almost balletic watching him swing his swords around. They were held together by chains as they moved in circular motion hitting everything in their path in multiple succession. Kaito quickly became bored of this though, and waited for the enemies to start besieging him.

The first poor creature to come up to him was quickly slaughtered. As grabbed on him, the hero rose the gargling baddy above his head and ripped him in two. Blood spattered even more than usual as it bathed the main character. But unflinching, he continued chopping through everyone. Gathering green orbs to build his health back up from any lucky attacks. The stone grown soon turned from white to deep red as multiple coats of blood began soaking it.

But outside of the game, the door slowly crept open. The sounds of groans filled the room, but did not affect the echo of deathly wails. Patricia placed her bag on the floor as she slowly worked her muscles. She nearly slid her socks against the carpet to a different side of the apartment. This action however did take Kaito out of his trance.

"Oi, Patricia!" he said.

"Oh, hey Kaito-kun." She said lowly.

"Big gamer rule, wait or ask the player before passing the screen."

"Sorry." she said as she walked near the kitchen partially slumped over.

"Is anything wrong?" he asked.

She slowly turned her head as the two looked at each other with crusted eyes. "I've had a really bad day. Would you mind running me a bath?"

"No problem." He said.

When the carnage stopped, he paused the game as he walked over to the bathroom. He slid the glass open trying to set the valves perfectly for the right temperature. It wasn't the first time he had to do this, but his apathy made it hard for him to control his limbs. The water poured furiously, quickly filling up the bath to the right amount. He walked out the room, hearing his roommate's sweet voice.

"What did you make for dinner?"

"I thought you already ate."

"Yeah, but I'm still curious."

"I made some steak, salad, and soup."

"Thanks! I like steak, I'll be sure to try that later."

With that confirmation he returned to the bloody rampage of his Playstation game. It was a pain setting up that monolith of a gaming system, but everything did run pretty smoothly. His brain slowly began to linger as he went back in killing mode. The warrior strived forward trying to regain his honor.

Time flew by as Patricia laid with in the hot bath water and Kaito progressed with in his story. After thrashing one of the bosses and finishing an entertaining cut scene, he had reached his last save point for the night. With little energy he crawled to his prize, turning off the system, and then going back to the warm kotatsu. The only thing now to do was to watch television.

"Kaito! I'm coming out of the bathroom now!"

"Ok…" He said sheepishly as he turned his head towards the floor.

With her towel over her body, Patricia made a quick break to her walk in closet. She reached it, but looked by knowing that Kaito held up his end of the bargain. In her domain she quickly changed from her school uniform for a more appropriate outfit of the evening. She peaked her head out of the closet seeing that Kaito had his eyes now glued on to the TV.

She walked out slowly starting to feel fatigue and sores of her long day. As she walked around Kaito to sit next to him, his eyes shifted towards her, keeping his pupils hidden by his hair. She was wearing a thin, pink nightgown that went down to her shins and showed off her arms. Unbeknownst to Patty, he could see straight through it. It was hard for him to focus off the white lingerie on her body. His face was becoming pink but he tried to play off as if he wasn't paying attention.

As she sat herself down, she got close to him placing her legs inside of the kotatsu. Her body was so close that he couldn't stop looking away. But he noticed something strange on her head. He alternated between her head and her body nonstop, trying to discover what the exact problem was. Near her forehead was brown-purplish bruise. Kaito decided that this was a more pressing matter.

"Patricia-chan, what happened to your head?"

The girl sighed as she started to talk.

"It's a part of my bad day. When we do our cosplay café performances, we really have to stay in character when all of our customers are focused on us. Today the manager had us dress up as the girls from Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and do a little scene."

"I see…" Kaito said taking the thought into consideration. The visual novel definitely had a high enough popularity to cause some cosplaying. It had already branched off into an anime and a manga series. And all the girls were a perfect mixed bag that would appeal to nearly all otakus. "So what happened?"

"Basically during the performance, me and Konata were holding these plastic weapons. During an intermission, we had people decide on who would live between me as Rena, or Konata as Rika. And Konata won by just one vote."

"Ouch," he said.

"And it gets worse! As we were acting out the scene and it came down to the end, she knocked me down. But she wouldn't break her character and she kept bonking me in the head with the gohei! It was horrible." She said looking away.

"I didn't think your job could be like that." Kaito said, surprised.

"I didn't either! But I guess since I was only looking at the negatives, I was starting to notice everything I would usually ignore. Like every man staring at my breasts."

Kaito's body stiffened. This wasn't a good sign. A self-hating fujoshi could ruin nearly any situation.

"All those boys just wouldn't stop looking at me. And even with all their staring they _still_ chose Konata over me?! She's one of my best friends too…why did she have to go so far during the performance."

"Well, I wish I could help…" The boy tried to say.

"But maybe I don't know all that much about friends anyway. Earlier today Hiyori and I were denied to hang out with Minami and Yutaka at their house. We're always nice to them; we always let them stay with us during our otaku activities. Why do they have to ignore us? Especially with me…they've never been to the apartment or my café."

"I don't know," Kaito said, increasingly confused.

"Not to mention that this torturous school system has given me loads of homework to do, despite the fact that I've been too busy all day." She sighed as her eyes began to tremble. "Today has just been so horrible. I don't really know anything I've done to deserve all of this. What gets me to me the most is that incident at the café. Why do I have to be stared at just for being a foreigner who likes anime? Who just happens to have large breasts? Why is it that because of all of these things that I have to be treated so badly? Especially since these boobs do nothing but cause me pain!"

He had to stop her there. If things were to peak, it would be a horrible night for the both of them. Kaito didn't want to hurt her though in her sensitive state. Still, there was no reason for her to curse her body or personal beliefs. He took a quick breath trying to cover over everything she talked about.

"Patricia-chan." He started. "Don't say that about yourself. A bad day doesn't mean that you should be feeling worthless. It happens to everyone."

"Things feel empty to me though."

"What you just need to do is not say that stuff about yourself."

The two locked themselves in each others' eyes.

"But…"

"You love your obsessions and you love cosplaying. You don't do anything wrong, you don't hate people. There's no reason for you to feel this way."

"Why can't people understand?" she complained.

Kaito spoke a bit more abruptly. "If you love cosplaying enough to make a job out of it, then you shouldn't have to worry about a few otakus looking at you. That's the premise of the whole business to begin with. And with your school friends, what do they know? If they can't focus their time on a sweet person like you just because of who you are, they don't even deserve that kind of attention."

"I guess…"

"And think about it this way. What if you made a wish getting rid of your breasts and they were suddenly gone the next day? Would you really like that?"

Patricia suddenly thought about that as she looked down on her body. She hugged it a bit close realizing that she was her own type of rarity. They may have had their flaws, but that was natural for every body type. She always had a keen eye with her friends and their lack of development. After thinking about her physique she looked back at Kaito who continued to speak.

"Your body is a lovely thing, and you shouldn't think otherwise. Even if it can make you stand out in the high school, that doesn't make it a bad thing. Just remember that disliking yourself _never_ leads to anything good."

She absorbed all of the words slowly, trying to make sure they would stick to the walls of her mind. Kaito's persuasion was cleansing her of the tragedies of that day. She looked away for a second; wiping her face of the insecurities she was feeling. The heat from her embarrassment was nearly faded away. She turned her head back around to see Kaito still sitting there was a polite grin on his face.

"Kaito-kun…thank you." She spoke softly.

At that moment, she moved towards him with open arms. They instantly wrapped around his neck making the two otakus come closer than ever before. As her heat disappeared, Kaito started to feel even redder in his face. Patricia's body felt warmer and softer than ever before, possible from her recent bath. His male tendencies started to overload his brain as her breasts began to press against his body. It was way more defiant than what had occurred in the cosplay café.

After a brief pause, they unlocked from their hold. Kaito couldn't help but feel prideful after averting that crisis. And by making her feel better, it made him feel more calm and peaceful about his day. The fact that she missed the dinner seemed to melt away as he slid almost his entire body under the kotatsu. With his head positioned on a small cushion from that angle, it became harder for him to focus on the TV.

Patricia glanced over at the exhausted boy as his eyes flickered slowly. After a few minutes, his unconsciousness consumed him, causing his body to shut down. Her heart felt like it was fluttering as she gazed at his serenity covered by the kotatsu. She laid her body down in a similar fashion with her head slightly above the ground. She peaked over at him again, as his state reminded her of her own fatigue.

Her hand graced the remote control, turning off the television. This only left the illumination of the single shuttered window. Her eyes became heavy as darkness started to surround her retinas. She tilted her head comfortably, resting her blonde mop on Kaito's chest. Throughout that night, she held a confident smile on her face as she listened to the sounds of her roommate's heart.

* * *

EDIT: weluvgirlswithglasses told me that the stick covered with talismans used by Mikos is called a Gohei. Big probs to them.

I also have a new proofreader looking over some my chapters now, and he has been really helping. So hopefully things are now of a better quality.

Finally, the posters mentioned in today's Lucky Channel can be found at the Animesuki Lucky Star Image Thread. (Page 187). It's the newest of May 15th, 2008

Please Review!


	19. Apologies

Hello everybody, it's been quite a week. I definitely have to give a shoutout to all of you reviewers. I'm glad you enjoyed Chapter 18. Especially thanks to BeatleBomb who gave me a nice little review surge.

This chapter, as well as the next, will be the same. Trying to combine serious business with humor. I'm definitely trying to stick with the mood of Lucky Star in Episode 22 where I can be both of these things. Not necessarily in the same scene, but still trying to keep it entertaining for you readers. Please Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Lucky Star is owned by Kagami Yoshimizu. And KyoAni has to get work producing more of his stuff.

* * *

**Chapter 19: Apologies**

Daylight crept into the apartment through the window towards the students of Ryoo High School. The mid-morning sun made its way from the carpet onto the faces of the two sleeping teenagers. At first, neither of them was affected due to the powerful trance they were in. But as time soon progressed, the darkness from their closed eyes would soon see the colors of light.

Kaito slowly squirmed his neck around the small cushion. The only thing he could really do was open his heavy eyes to the uncomfortable blinding power of the sun. His body and mind felt strangely weak from the sudden awakening. He could feel little strength in everything below his stomach. While his left arm was pinned down, he dragged his left arm across the carpet to try to feel his surroundings.

At that time, he felt a crippling pain force itself upon his skull. He groaned as he rested his hand against his throbbing head. He lingered his eyes across the room seeing nothing but the normality he became accustomed too. Kaito shifted his weight towards his hand, trying to relieve the pressure and find a solution to why he felt so bad. What had happened? Why did he strangely feel so weak and even heavy for that matter?

He slowly tried moving his legs under the baking kotatsu. The two had accidentally left it on over night from their extreme fatigue and lack of attention to detail. His shoulders pushed upwards moving his head and waking it up. His eyes moved down his body to see a very majestic site. It explained his uncomfortable feelings at the time. Patricia was completely nestled into his chest, keeping a smile even in her unconscious state.

Problems began flooding into the boy's mind as he tried to figure out the entire situation. The headache flared up again as he tried remembering what had happened the night before. Now though he had to deal with a physical problem of getting up without giving his roommate a rude awakening. It was so strange, yet soothing to see her curled up like that. He was slowly starting to recall his faults, feeling her skin multiple times yesterday. Their legs did touch once under the table before Kaito became knocked out.

Kaito breathed heavy trying to calculate a proper way to get to the bathroom. Combined with his unusual feelings of heat and pain, this would be no easy task. His body slowly slid towards the right trying to keep a steady pace. The gaijin's head was barely held by the side of the boy's stomach. Taking the cushion, he moved it between the two of them as he slowly let her go. Her head landed comfortably, like sliding a fried egg onto a plate.

He made his way to the bathroom trying to be as quiet as possible. Closing the door, he looked deeply at himself on the mirror cabinet. His clothes were wrinkled and his eyes were crusted and bloodshot. It was a matching look with his slouched body and his frail feeling body. His hands began to wander as he moved his body to prepare himself for the rest of the day. His mental state however still rattled and saggy.

"What time is it?" He groaned to himself.

That was the biggest concern to himself and Patricia. Knowing the time, he could easily decide on what he could do for the morning and the upcoming school day. He usually wouldn't wake up too early, but he would always have enough time to do something. His head peaked out of the door to look at the large clock in the middle of the room. The hands pointed at by the clock did not look promising.

"It's that time already? We'll be late for sure…" Kaito focused his attention back on the mirror in the bathroom. "Screw it; I'll just stay home today. I'm not up for dressing into different clothes or dealing with Kuroi-sensei's fist."

At that time, the boy made a sharp cough that echoed throughout the apartment. It was followed by a small string of similar coughs. His symptoms seemed to erupt at that moment as his nose started to feel runny. He made a quick sniffle trying to keep himself looking presentable. The red eyes embedded in his skull began to feel watery as they began to trickle along his face. He grunted as he wiped everything off his face violently.

"There has to be something in here for this…"

As he said that, he slowly moved the glass screen to see what would be inside. Kaito frowned at the short supply of medical items. No pills or liquids that would help with colds at all. It was surprising to him though that other things like allergy pills or tablets for stomach problems weren't there. It was nothing but things for women, that Kaito had no interest in exploring. He slammed the cabinet, forcing him to look back at himself.

He went out of the bathroom, still dragging his feet against the strange colored carpet. With luck, some of the medicine may be in the kitchen. However, his sliding sounds were overshadowed by the sound of meek yawn not too far away. He glanced over, seeing Patricia barely keep her body up. Even her short amount of blonde hair seemed to cover her face. He had trouble seeing her even with his irritated eyes.

"Kaito-kun…" She said sheepishly. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah, Patricia-chan." He responded in the same manner.

"When did you get up?"

"Not too long ago. Do you feel ok today?"

Patricia lightly coughed as she continued to look at the ground. "Not really…I think I might of caught something from being out so late in the cold weather."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Do we have any medicine? I don't really feel like going to school today."

Kaito scratched the back of his head. "I can't seem to find any in the bathroom."

"Darn." She pouted as she laid her head back on the cushion. "I don't want to go brave the outside."

The boy quickly thought of a solution. "How about you try calling someone to bring us the medicine?"

"Ah, that can work…" Patricia said, pressing her hands together. "I'm glad you were around to give me that idea, Kaito-kun."

He blushed slightly as he walked back into the kitchen. But as he entered into the room his blush quickly shifted to a scowl on his face. He placed his head down on the kitchen table trying to gather all these thoughts in his head. Not only was he sick in the head and chest…but his heart slowly began to rock. Something deep had happened yesterday. It all started to piece together though when he continued to reminisce.

There was hugging…it was a major hug between himself and Patricia. She openly admitted her problems to him and he consoled her. It was single great moment that he would remember, but when he thought about it…there was so much embracing over this long period of time. At Comiket, on the bus, in houses, and in public. Every moment he recalled of locking arms with the girls was a step. A step of gaining all of their trust. Why were there so many unknown ladies that he hadn't discovered until recently?

"I feel so weird…" Kaito mumbled. "Everything just seems to be creeping up now." His groan became louder as the realization came to him. "Ugh! No wonder I feel so strange today! Yesterday was a sign. This sign however is going to make living here a bit uncomfortable."

His mind continued to wander as he wanted to try to solve everything. The headache became more intense as he tried to sort several things that had happened throughout his school year. He gripped the skin of his forehead with his hand, trying to cover his bases. He prayed at that moment, hoping some scientist would have invented a machine to clone human beings.

* * *

"Kaito?" Patricia voice rang out in the apartment.

His train of thought was cut out by his sweet roommate. "Yes?"

"Would you mind getting the door?"

"Can't you get it?"

"Oh…you don't know about the world of suffering I'm in." She taunted.

Kaito grunted as he briskly walked out of the kitchen door. Sometimes he felt that Patricia enjoyed abusing his kindness as a servant. When he strolled by her though, her excuse did to seem to hold some ground. She appeared a bit more rustled than he was, not even changing out of her appealing nightwear. He didn't feel too happy having to answer the door, but he did feel well enough.

"Thank you."

"Who did you ask to bring over the medicine anyway?" He said turning the door.

But in that split second he would quickly know.

As he opened the door he saw the grinning face of a familiar soul. He was slightly taller than Kaito but didn't even seem to notice him with his closed eyes. He seemed to be in the same state as the two apartment dwellers, in shaggy, but traditional Japanese clothes. His mind however seemed to be in one place, as he held a FamilyMart bag filled with the necessary ailments. When his eyes opened though, his façade changed from happy to surprised.

"Ah!" The two men shouted. He entered in the room with new found invigoration. He advanced towards Kaito while the teenager retreated towards a wall.

"Oy! What are you doing here?! I didn't expect a kid like you to be lingering around with Patty-chan!"

"No, no! It's fine Izumi-sama!" She pleaded. "Kaito-kun is just living with me for the time being while his house gets repaired!"

He glanced back towards his target. "Repaired?"

"My house was flooded some time ago…and I needed a place to stay."

Sojiro let down his guard hearing that. He didn't have to worry about him swarming around Konata if he were far away. There was school at course…but he did suddenly remember that Konata brought up with the subject before. His rage came back thinking that he might have had to deal with Kaito ruining the atmosphere of his house. His attitude changed though looking at his daughter's co-worker.

"Here's your medicine, Patty-chan." He said politely. "Now if I have my photos, I'll be on my way."

"Photos?"

"Yeah, I offered to give Izumi-sama here some photos of Comiket in exchange for the medicine."

"Speaking of which…" Sojiro said with devious interest.

"They are in my room; I'll set everything up for you."

Konata's dad helped her up as they walked to her special otaku sanctuary. Watching this transgression did give Kaito an idea or two. Konata was definitely right about her dad, his otaku tendencies were great, if not a bit overpowering. However there was one clear fact about him. He had a child. Surely if he had a girl like Konata, he would know a thing or two about women and romance.

Kaito waited patiently for the two to leave the room. He had the courage to ask Sojiro, but the main thing he needed was permission. Perhaps his experience in creating visual novel games would have given him the expertise in learning about the opposite sex. Though like a novel game, Kaito was forced to deal with tough questions that would choose his destiny. He felt a bit silly not realizing he'd have to come to this type of crossroads sooner. The writer quickly walked out of the room, now smiling as he was holding several photos from that event. Kaito's heart raced as he knew he'd have to make a move now.

"Izumi-sama?" He asked, just as the man had his hand on the door.

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a serious question?"

"How serious is this?" Sojiro responded, raising a brow.

Kaito looked over at Patricia's special room. "Very serious."

Sojiro sighed, knowing he'd be delayed from enjoying his photos. "Fine then. What do you want?"

"Can we talk about this outside?" He hesitated.

"Not sure why you'd want to talk about it outside, especially since you have a cold…"

"It's a private matter."

That was enough to sway him to grant Kaito's wish. The two of them went out of the door to the railing of the complex. They started to feel a gentle breeze slowly sway their hair and clothes. Kaito and Sojiro looked out into the distance seeing the busy business section of the prefecture work in motion. The teenager curled up as he started to feel the temperature push against his body.

"So what did you want to ask?" Sojiro said.

"Izumi-sama…how do you know..." He choked out. "If you are in love?"

Sojiro immediately looked away hearing those last few words. He didn't ever want this day to come. Why did it have to be this strange kid to ask him this question? Who was a friend of his daughter? He didn't want to answer…but felt a strange obligation that he had to. As a fellow man, he had to learn to know the true secrets of such confusing feelings. Especially since he was an otaku, it was very crucial for him to learn while he could still socialize.

"Well, it's a bit hard to define it really." Sojiro said. "You clearly have to care for this person more than any other friend."

"I kind of expected that." Kaito said, lowering his head. "I just didn't expect this whole dilemma to suddenly kick in. It just seems to leave me with this…aching feeling."

Sojiro gritted his teeth with the next question. There was no way he could avoid this…but the wrong answer from Kaito could leave him hurled over this complex.

"Who…do you…love?"

"That's the problem." Kaito said quickly. "I don't know. I feel like I love more than one, but I can't decide."

The father felt a bit relieved hearing that answer, but also felt a bit intrigued. One of his favorite things about ero games were the selections of girls you would be able to choose. He was expecting more of a common issue about confessing or insecurities. He breathed and looked back at him, knowing he wouldn't have to be so defensive.

"I suppose that would be difficult." Sojiro nodded.

"I feel completely conflicted. Love just seems to build up such strange ideas in your head. Part of me wants to find romance with one of them, but at the same time I don't want to hurt any of them. Though, I'm not a telekinetic, and I can't read people's minds. So how do I not know that any of these ladies I've been hanging out with have feelings for me or not?"

"The issue can definitely overwhelm people like us. A mystery like that has plagued our race since the beginning of time."

"It's odd." Kaito began. "I did want to find a partner…and the more I think about it, the more it confuses me. Now I feel obligated to them to make them all happy. It's a shame harems went out of our culture."

Sojiro had a bit of guilty laugh at that statement. "If that isn't the truth…"

"I don't know what to do here though. Can you help me make a decision?"

"Hmm…" Izumi thought, placing his hand on his chin. "Choosing your love is quite the spectacle now a days. Usually it's a matter of fate and personality."

"Of course…" Kaito groaned, knowing the decision wouldn't be any easier.

"Kaito, do you care for…Konata?" The father had trouble asking. He had to know of course, since Kaito had already appeared at his house.

The younger otaku tilted his head as he began to list various joys. "Kona-chan is just wonderful. She's sweet and caring while she can still be funny. Her attitude just makes everyone in the room light up. And she's a cute otaku on top of all of that greatness. She understands most issues more than some of my actual guy friends. All of this just makes her such a loveable person."

"I see." Sojiro replied. Part of him wanted to go berserk on Kaito, yet another part of him was keeping him at bay. He did actually like Konata for all of the reasons you should love a woman. Not just physical attraction.

"And that's the issue." Kaito said melancholy. "Why should such a wonderful person like that go unloved?"

"That is an understandable issue." Sojiro said sagely.

"I mean…we've had our moments too. We've hugged before. She's convinced me to cosplay for her too."

His eyebrows sharpened hearing this new information. "Not the best thing to be telling me there, Kaito." He thought.

"But there's just so much other stuff to consider." Kaito said, looking behind him at his apartment door. "Like Patricia-chan."

"Patricia?" Sojiro questioned.

"She was kind enough to let me into her home after my house flooded. Her personality is just so kind and bubbly. It's just amazing how generous and accepting she is. If anything, those looks she has just come as a bonus. And we've gotten close too, as I've consoled her with her problems. Now that after all this time has passed though, I'm starting to feel attached to that beautiful foreigner."

"Now, I'm starting to see the solution so clearly."

Kaito became more serious with his next speech. "And there are more girls too! Girls who are attractive and perfect…girls who you can get close to with your problems. Then there's also Kagami-chan. She's a tsundere, and you know that deep, down inside all those girls really want to love and affection! The only reason I became so lucky because of all of this is because of Konata!"

Sojiro slowly started to accept everything he said. He did care deeply for Konata, and his mind did seem pure for the most part. Yet he was torn between all of these other cute and fantastic girls he knew. It was amazing though how all of this suddenly has given him so much pain. Usually it was a fantasy that most otaku men dreamed of. It was hard to him to come up with sound advice, but at least he knew that he could trust Kaito.

"Kaito-san…I think you are simply over-thinking this." Izumi dismissed.

"Really?" He asked, somewhat surprised.

"Us men will never know the consequences of not dating certain women. But it is best to be happy and love someone, then to fear about the road not taken. The best solution is to just go with whoever you think loves you the most."

He looked back at his elder, with new found courage. "Even Kona-chan?"

Sojiro had trouble looking at him from that response, but new the answer was simple. "Yes."

Kaito took a deep breath. The mental weight seemed to have fallen off of his shoulders. However, that did make him remember the frigid atmosphere, causing him to shiver. Both of them smiled though, knowing they would now have a better understanding of things. The boy started to ponder again though on what to do now. With his head clear, it should be easier to make a decision. But there was clearly one thing he had to say.

"Thank you Izumi-sama."

"No problem, Kaito-kun." He said, responding with a thumb up.

"No wonder Kona-chan grew up to be such a wonderful person."

Sojiro made a grin from the statement. "That's what I tried to do."

"You and your wife must be very proud. It's just a shame I never got the chance to meet her when I went to your house. Does she work long hours?"

"Actually…" He said in a lower tone. "Kanata has passed."

Kaito panicked, accidentally crossing a forbidden line. "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have said anything."

He lightly packed Kaito's back. "It's fine. You didn't know…"

The tension once again became relieved due to Sojiro. Kaito smiled as he looked back at him. "I feel so glad now...I'm glad I can rely on someone like you for advice."

"Hmm? Why's that?"

Kaito's mood became sullen as he explained. "I never had a great relationship with my own dad. I don't really rely on him for my male troubles. And my brother is currently in college, so I can't ask him everything."

"I wish I could help with that…" He comforted.

"I personally don't even know how my own parents got together." He looked at Sojiro with new found respect. "That makes me glad I know you though. Even though you are an otaku, you've become a great person who knows the best way how to handle life."

"Hehe, I do get by pretty well, don't I?"

"Kaito-kun!" A voice shouted. With a quick squeak of the door, the two boys turned around to see a worried Patricia. "I was wondering where you went."

"We were just having a man to man conversation." Sojiro said.

"I guess it ran longer than expected." Kaito said innocently, scratching his head.

"Well, get inside. No need to make that headache worse."

"Sure." He nodded. He looked at his new found respected elder. "Good bye, Izumi-sama."

"Goodbye, Kaito-kun, Patty-chan." He said as he walked towards the elevator.

With the door closed, the two students gathered around the kotatsu they slept under. Kaito looked at the set up though with a new grimace on his face. In the middle, was the medication they had asked for to cure them of their colds. It was poured into two separate, little, plastic cups with two regular glasses of water on the side. He wasn't exactly too sure what to expect here.

"What's this set up for Patricia-chan?" He asked, trying not sound mean.

"Oh, I've never had this stuff before. I just thought we'd try it together." She responded.

He took a closer inspection of the liquid. His eyebrows sharpened. "You've never had this stuff before? I thought everyone has at least tried it once."

"Let's just hope it works."

The two of them slowly picked up their plastic cups with a thumb and finger. In a quick flash, they downed the medicine making sure the aftertaste wouldn't stick with them for long. Kaito retained a normal look but still moved his attention to the regular water to take away any taste. Patricia however, couldn't help but stick her tongue out at the horrid taste of the medicine. Moving her hands to the water, she took a sip and spoke.

"That stuff is horrible…" She said.

Kaito grinned. "Yeah. But if it tastes bad, that just means the medicine works better."

She did a further inspection of the bottle. "Ugh, I've never tasted stuff like this. How would you describe it?"

"Green Death." He said plainly.

The two of them couldn't help but laugh at the statement. The green goop did contain a deep black center even in that plastic bottle. They were happy though knowing that soon their colds would be gone. And hopefully, never taste that stuff for a while.

* * *

At the high school, the students were just released from their classes to go back home. A few particular third-years gathered around to speak about the day's events. Despite the test that was given out that day, everyone was in a very light-hearted mood. But as they were talking outside some of their younger colleagues were about to meet up with them.

Konata made a happy yawn thinking about the rest of the day. "Ah…can't wait to go home and play my online game."

"I do enjoy relaxing after a hard day of school." Miyuki agreed.

"The first thing I'm going to do when I get home is just take a quick nap." Tsukasa said.

"Oh no you don't." Kagami said harshly, placing her hand on her twin's shoulder. "You didn't do so well on that test, and I don't want you to fail any time soon."

"But, Onee-chan…" She groaned.

"No excuses!"

At that moment, Hiyori, Minami, and Yutaka walked up their older classmates. They quickly exchanged greetings as they all started waiting for the trains as a group. However, there was one particular thing that seemed amiss…

"How was your day Yu-chan?" Konata asked

"Pretty good!" She said. "Better than usual."

"My day has been adequate as well." Minami said.

"I was so incredibly bored today." Hiyori moaned. "There was just nothing at all to do since Patty-chan was absent."

"When I think about it…" Kagami said. "Wasn't Kaito-san absent as well?"

"He was." Miyuki said.

"You think they could be ill?" Hiyori asked.

"They might be." Tsukasa added. "It has been getting a bit chilly lately."

"Well no matter what has happened, they both must be at Patty's apartment. Looks like we need to visit them." Konata deduced.

"I don't think I've seen you given up video games to see someone…" Kagami said dryly.

"You assume too much of me, Kagamin." Konata smirked.

"It's been a while since I've really gotten to know Kaito-san, so I would like to see him as well." Miyuki said. "I'll just need to head home first to get a few things."

"I'll go too!" Hiyori said enthusiastically. "I have nothing to do at home anyway."

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline." Minami said. This caused everyone to focus their attention on the quiet girl.

"Why not, Minami-chan?" Her small friend questioned.

"I would just feel a bit uncomfortable going into to Martin-san's house without her permission. I generally don't spend enough time with her, so it would be rude of me to participate. And while you all have made great ties with Kaito-san, I have a sneaking suspicion that he doesn't like me at all."

"Don't be silly, Minami-chan! Kaito-san doesn't see you any different than you or I!" Yutaka pleaded.

"Actually…" Konata said. "Due to your wonderful, flat physique, Kaito-san actually believes that you could be a man. Or possibly a type of alien."

That information made Minami feel incredibly stunned. Her already small amount of self-confidence flattened just like her chances of a larger chest. As she looked around, the two otakus kept hidden grins, while Konata's other friends tried not to make eye-contact. He must have said something harsh if they couldn't look at her with a straight face. An aura of gloom started to form around her.

"So I guess that's a no?" Konata said.

"I believe so…" Yutaka said, feeling empathy from her friend. "I guess I'll pass this up too. I'll just spend the day consoling Minami-chan."

Kagami sighed. "I wish we could go. But as a class representative I have to keep our year's average up." Tsukasa could only sweat drop thinking about her bad grades.

"I guess that settles that." They decided.

As they said this, the two otaku girls got a bit closer. They felt a bit closer to Kaito and Patty, so they thought they would enjoy going to the apartment the most. However, there was one subject Konata had to discuss with her mangaka friend.

"This'll be fun." Konata said.

"Indeed Kona-sempai." Hiyori nodded.

"Speaking of Patty-chan, how is that new work in progress coming along?"

"I just have to work on my final…" Hiyori stopped for a second, realizing who was talking. She turned to her sharply, but Konata instantly stopped her with some kindly words.

"It's ok. Considering how I look like, I'm surprised I haven't been in a written work already."

"Oh…that's good." Hiyori said, some of her worry fading away.

"I do wonder though what the others will think about it."

Hiyori at that point put her hands on Konata's shoulders. "What ever you do, don't show it to Yu-chan. I don't want to be the reason while she'll be committed to a mental hospital."

"Fine, fine." Konata dismissed, as everyone prepared for the second half of their day.

* * *

There it is. It's been nearly twenty chapters, so I think if some romance wasn't considered even a little by this point, it would be ridiculous. But I do want to give some mystery for the fans. It would be boring to read something so predictable, right?

Anyway, Please Review!


	20. UltraRare Platinum Edition

Hey everybody. I apologize deeply for being late, but I've been going through problems lately. And the rolling thunderstorms and horrible humidity of Summer isn't helping out either. I'm a major procrastinator and tend to work the hardest when the due date comes, so I really try to keep things in tact. If I let fics go without update for too long, I just generally loose interest.

Now for this chapter, the stuff in italics today is supposed to indicate both what Kaito is thinking and typing. It's a bit lazy and poorly thought on my part, but I think it's a good way to get some more insight on him personally. If you notice any other problems, feel free to say them. I know this chapter isn't as perfect as the others.

**Disclaimer: **Kagami Yoshimizu owns Lucky Star. And he's pretty epic because Lucky Star was only his second published work. So think about that. :X

* * *

**  
Chapter 20: Ultra-Rare Platinum Edition  
**

The apartment complex was nearly barren during the afternoon. Many of the adults were still working as well as the children who had to endure the slow forms of public transportation. The one small exception to the normality came from a room on the top floor of the building. Inconvenience was their true motive of not going to school. And the best thing to do would be to enjoy the rest of the day.

However, the two roommates had their own ways of spending the afternoon. Patricia was curled up in her futon enjoying a nice nap. The side effects of the green death medicine really had taken control of her. Kaito, on the other hand, was in the kitchen, deep in thought. His eyes were set on the bright screen of his laptop, while the rest of his body was wrapped in the warm blanket, though the otaku's brain was in a completely different state.

Kaito was still processing over everything that transpired between himself and Sojiro. The subject of love was something he couldn't shake off. He tried going on imageboards to take his mind off the subject, but to no avail, even if he did score a few funny or sexy pictures to store in his D drive. Hours had gone by, leaving the advice to completely sink in the teenager's brain.

He was told not to worry about it…but that was all he could do. There were just so many girls, all who he had a different impact on. For all he knew, they could all of have been secretly pining for him, as he was one of the few males to actually confront them. Nonetheless though, he had his own experiences with them all. Intimacy was imminent at this point.

The young otaku took this time to come to the best logical decision. Analyze the girls individually to see who will render the best results overall. He had problems to deal with nonetheless with no matter who he chose. Getting his friends and family to except the person for one. And then the initial chain reaction when they find out he is unavailable. It was confusing, but seemed to be the only way to figure it out.

With a few swift clicks, Kaito opened his toolbar to start up a blank document on his computer. He stretched his arms and neck knowing that this would take a long time. Taking a long stare at the white screen, he decided to get the most important issue out of the way; he saved the document under the surname "Games to Buy." Quick saving is essential in keeping all the information intact in case something occurs. He began to type away on the program. The first subject he decided was to be about the first girl he met.

_Konata…the girl who led me into this whole situation. I like her so much, we have so much in common. Games, friends, the random mundane topics we talk about, she just seems to be able to do everything. If she applies herself, she can be amazing at tests or sports. Yet, she decides to be an otaku just because she loves anime and manga more than anything. Thank you Izumi-sama for making this perfect woman. Then there are her looks…_

_Long Hair  
Tiny, but toned physique  
Beauty mark on face  
Ahoge, very rare to see  
A complete rarity all around_

_She should be happy no matter what happens. I'll always be her friend no matter what happens. I've seen internet and otaku drama, I'll be able to make up with her even if we argue about the smallest things. We should be able to stay in touch. But if I were her boyfriend I'll definitely be hers forever._

_Then again…If I were to be her boyfriend, there's so much crap I'm going to have to deal with._

_Kagami will no doubt get all ranty about me dating her closest friend. We've had a moment too, she probably still have that caving around her spine. And nothing ruins a moment more than a pissed off tsundere. Luckily though, nowadays if she hits me everyone in public will see it and she'll most likely get arrested. I don't want that to happen, but I hate it when that crap always happens in mangas._

_People might also see Konata and might see me as a freaking lolicon. No way I'm a lolicon, I'm not into little girls. If I would, I'd be getting eerily close to her cousin Yutaka. And probably still go after her despite the fact I know her heart belongs to that soulless girl. People hate lolicons so much, but there's a difference between a tiny girl and an underage one. This isn't a case of sexually charged 9 year old trying to have sex with their school teacher._

_I guess with that, I'll have to get closer with Yutaka too. Nothing against her, but I just know there's some strange quality with her. Like, she's way too pure for a normal person like one of those evangelicals I read about from time to time. She probably has a body made out of choco-wafers, that would explain why she so fragile. Getting close to her will also mean dealing with Minami and the rest of her friends. At this point, I don't even see how Hiyori and Patricia even talk to them._

_Oh Patricia…I don't want you to be hurt either. Your beauty and kindness are just so overwhelming for my otaku mind. You let me into your apartment after my house flooded; you've been so nice to me too. I don't care that I basically work as a maid in this place, this apartment will be a home I won't ever forget. We understand each other so well and are so close. We even sleep in the same room…_

_There are just so many positives in her it's uncanny…_

_Great personality  
Cute voice  
Perky breasts  
Short hair that poofs out like rose  
Another great combo of looks and otakuness_

_I truly know that at this point she might have something for me. Last night proved that when she talked to me honestly. And when we hugged it just felt so great…even if I touched her boobs. I won't ignore that. I hope she gets loved no matter what. She's a great person…_

_Oh if we were boyfriend and girlfriend things would easily heat up. We are living by each other; we can do whatever we want. Like Konata, I wouldn't give her up for the world. Even if I do things for her constantly, it's not bad. She still cares for me and only wishes the best for me. Patricia, how can you be so great?_

_Then again, I'd be the topic for the whole school if we went out, the third year student going out with the first year exchange student. I might get looked down upon by those idiots who would hate Patricia just for being foreign…and then they'd hate me just for loving her. I'm glad I can see past that kind of stuff being an otaku. Not to mention that we live together, the girls would suspect something too._

_Minami and Yutaka would still be a problem nonetheless. They'd probably hate me because I don't care for her, and then hate Patricia just because she loves me. She's alone…I can't have her lose anyone. _

_Then again, there's her looks. I just know my friends are going to go insane over her just because she's got a lovely pair. I know Ryuta can't keep away from his fetish. People might instantly just think I like her because she looks so hot…and then there's mom and dad. They haven't met Patricia at all, but I know there's going to be uncertainty. She's a gaijin otaku. This won't go over well at all…_

_And then that leaves everyone else…especially Kagami. Kagami is just so freaking cute and loveable. Those twintails…I've seen her deredere side too, and it's a glorious thing to behold. She should be loved; I want her to be happy too. Tsunderes are just those kinds of people that you want to make happy. Because when they shine, they really shine. She just tries so hard to be a wonderful person. _

_But with her though is going to cause some problems. She's always with someone be it her friends or family. Not to mention that me meeting her family is going to be even more awkward, since I wasn't able to live there during my duration. Konata might feel a bit shocked that I'm keeping her best friend for myself despite our shaky beginning, so I don't know how we would be. I just wish I could keep all these women entertained._

_Miyuki is also on the list too. She's beautiful and smart and kind and has the body of a goddess. And not just with proportions, she wears glasses and her hair just seems to have a natural burst to it, making it much more gleeful to talk to her. She's a perfect girl really having all of that in one convenient package. If she were into video games, I'd probably be searching for an engagement ring._

_If I were to date her, I would definitely be the envy of the school. Going out with one of the sexiest and smartest girls will raise a couple of eyebrows. Not to mention that my parents would absolutely love her because she's rich and polite; almost like she was carved out of some divine jewel to be loved by men. She needs love too, but I just feel like she needs certain oomph to make her interesting. If she did confess to me though, I certainly would not deny it._

_Hiyori too is worthy of my devotion and care. That cute little meganekko has to deal with so much. Her artwork is amazing; especially over the fact how she can make two pieces of plywood look absolutely stunning when looked in a certain way. She's a bit insecure, but that's kind of a good thing. It's like Kagami, you know that deep down inside she's a really kind person who needs love to transform into something better._

_I might get the same accusations for dating a younger otaku…but Hiyori is clearly mature and understanding for someone of her age. I just wish though that I knew more about her. I can tell that she needs someone introduced to her, someone that doesn't mind a bit of the homosexuality. If she confessed to someone, I would find it amazing. If it were me though, I would surely accept. Such a cute thing…_

_Gah…this is going to be the death of me if I worry about it too much. You know, there's a ton of girls who may love me. I know what's right and what's wrong. Why does it have to be the man who makes the decision? In this time of equality, why is it expected for the man to be the decider of fate? Girls need to learn that if they show affection and care, guys will instantly fall for them._

_Me and my friends want girlfriends, but girls want romance. We can provide romance, but women can just be so unbelievable confusing. …yet it feels like I have these girls completely pegged down. I want to be with them all and make them all happy. The fact they haven't all gathered together and decided to be a harem just so that I can care and love for them all, is kind of amazing._

_…I don't have to put myself for this. Fate can choose it for me at this point. I can be doing better things now like playing games or looking for more funny images._

Kaito clicked Control + S and closed the document. Why think about it now? He would be having more fun playing an emulator or looking up more pictures. With a few clicks his browser re-opened leading him to a particular website. A smile formed on his face as he made some swift keyboard presses.

* * *

After several minutes of immersing himself in nostalgic gaming, he heard an erratic buzzing noise. He closed his laptop and walked to towards the main door. He pressed the transmitting button as he put his face near the speaker.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Kaito-kun!" Konata said through the speaker. Kaito smiled deviously as he heard several other voices coming from the wall.

"Well this is a nice surprise."

"Can we come in?" Hiyori asked.

"Of course, of course."

"We'll be there!"

The boy loosened his neck as he moved to another side of the room. Today was turning out to be better than expected. However, he could be the only one to enjoy this little encounter. He slowly tapped her behind with his foot, giving it a slight rub. Patricia lightly raised her head as she extended the rest of her limbs. She wiped away the crust from her eyes and looked at her roommate.

"What time is it?" the girl asked groggily.

"Not sure. But the some of the girls are going to visit us."

"That's nice…" she mumbled.

That was until she realized what she was wearing. Her revealing outfit from last night was perfect then, but she couldn't let her friends see her like this. It would be rude. She quickly walked into her closet to switch to something more appropriate. Kaito waited patiently sitting against the wall with his feet under the kotatsu. He lifted his eyelids as the warm from the furniture and his blanket was making it harder to keep focus.

At that moment, the door opened to reveal the three school girls. Konata and Hiyori burst inside with their serafuku ready to tend their patients. Miyuki on the other hand though, was wearing something much more elaborate. She had on long-sleeved shirt covered by a burgundy vest decorated with a red ribbon. Below her waist was a cream colored skirt that matched with a beret placed on her head. In her arms was a simple bouquet of flowers.

"Welcome," Kaito greeted.

"Good to see you Kaito-kun," Konata said. "It's been awhile."

"Hehe, sorry for not joining you for lunch. Guy friends just wanted to know where I've been. I'll be sure to eat with you tomorrow."

"Glad you can keep up with you friends." Konata grinned.

"I'm glad we could come Kaito-sempai. Even though you are sick, coming over here feels refreshing compared to how my school day was." Hiyori admitted.

"Test?" he assumed.

"Nah. Without Patty-chan, the day just tends to be kind of boring."

"Kaito-san, I hope you fell well soon," Miyuki said.

"Thank you, Miyuki-san," he said happily, looking over her body. He was surprised she went to such links just to visit a sick person. "I can't believe you dressed up for this. And you brought flowers…"

"It's necessary to make your friends feel comfortable when they are in need. I believe flowers are complimentary with any type of visit," Miyuki explained.

"She's so damn cute…no wonder Kona-chan is amazed by her," Kaito thought.

At that time, Patricia unveiled herself from her special closet. Instead of her gown from yesterday, she wore a simpler pair of yellow, vertical striped pajamas. Kaito blushed a little, noticing that she still retained her cuteness from the previous day. Her bust was still noticeable as well. He tilted his head back, feeling happy that so many lovely women came and dressed for him.

The five of them completely gathered around the kotatsu to talk. It easily became cramped, causing Kaito to cross his legs. He fiddled around with the nearby remote to turn the television on. It was necessary to create a little ambiance to keep his otaku brain on what ever the girls were talking about. However, they were quick to take notice to the sudden change.

"Why did you turn on the tv Kaito-kun?" Patricia said. "Don't you want to talk?"

"Oh, I do," Kaito said. "It's just that I naturally like to keep the tv on when there's company over. It's more comfortable that way," The other girls nodded. "Not to mention, that there's a commercial I've wanted to see that I've only seen a small fraction of."

"I know how that feels," Konata said. "Sometimes when I come back from the bathroom it turns out there's a small blip for a new exciting show to air! But it's covered with release dates and information that I have no idea what it was about since I missed most of it!"

"That's happened to me before as well," Miyuki agreed. "Sometimes I ignore the television when it's on. But when a commercial airs, I won't notice it until they mention something important at the very end. And then it's gone when I actually look at screen."

"I hate it when that happens," Hiyori huffed. "You could be missing out on something really important that you need!"

Patricia remembered a particular thing about commercials at the very end. "Do you ever notice how at the end of certain commercials, that they say things really, really fast?"

"Like with medicine?" Konata said.

"I always notice that," Kaito said. "They do it for a reason, because for some of the major products the side effects are worse than the stuff the medicine is supposed to cure."

Hiyori rubbed her nose at that point. "That happens a lot with allergy medication. It feels like instead of being stuffed up, we have to suffer with headaches."

"I would rather have a blocked up nose than a headache," Kaito dismissed. "Headaches can kind of shut you down, but a stuffed up nose is quite tolerable."

"Headaches are the worst for creative people…" Hiyori complained.

"I generally have a resistance to headaches," Konata said proudly. "All my years of staring at the computer must have given me strength."

"No idea how you do it Kona-chan," Kaito said. "I can stare at a screen for a good amount of time, but if I stare at it and then suddenly move, I'll get a headache."

"I generally won't get headaches if I stare at something for too long," Miyuki said. "Though I think because I didn't get headaches, it took a toll on my eyes. That's why I need glasses."

"It was a fair trade…" The otakus simultaneously thought.

"Attention," a voice said.

All five of them look around the room trying to find a response, but Konata was already pointing at the screen. As they all looked at it, they could only see one thing: A dark, royal blue colored metallic helmet looking directly at all of the viewers. It drew them in, as they had no idea what to happen.

"In these troubled times it is necessary to look upon the most important things in life. Family. Friends. Prosperity. But the most important thing in life is something that we have evolved for billions of years to perfect. Survival. The key to your survival and everyone you care about is quite simple. Take time to think about this crucial decision as it will be the absolute best thing in you could possibly hope for."

At this point, the five of them were standing on edge about what appeared on the screen. What is it that this mysterious person was going to tell them? They would soon found. After the figured dramatic words, a segment of blue mask moved away revealing an amethyst eye. The eye became more mystical, as inside of it there was a strange pink symbol. It pointed out like v-shape, but curved downwards like a u. The voice boomed his next words with great vigor.

"To survive!"

The teenagers focused in a little deeper…

"I command you all to order from your nearest PIZZA HUT!"

Kaito, Patricia and Hiyori face instantly dived downward from the anti-climatic advertisement. Konata and Miyuki kept amused smiles from the whole situation though. On the screen now, was a green haired girl looking blankly into space. A slice of pizza was in her hand with a piece of the gooey cheese stretching into her lip. But the commercial wasn't just over yet.

"Buy medium pizzas now for 500 Yen a piece! Each purchase you make funds the rebellion to the downfall of Britannia!"

"Ah…I always smile when that commercial comes on." Konata said.

"Death to Britannia!" Patricia cheered. This made Kaito sweat dropped a bit more than before.

"Was that the commercial you were waiting on Kaito-san?" Miyuki pondered.

"No. I can't believe they did that though," He said bewildered.

"That's a lie," Hiyori said bluntly. "We tried to order pizzas from them yesterday with the same deal, and apparently each pizza now only costs 500 yen if you buy three of them!"

"I hate it when that happens," Patricia said.

"Perhaps it's because they can still sell their products," Konata mentioned.

"That is true…" Kaito nodded. It made him think though about this kind of power. "Do you think the advertisement in the show has increased their sales?"

"I'm sure it has," Hiyori said.

"It probably hasn't affected the overall sale of pizza across the country," Miyuki stated.

"But some foods or other products have probably been increased due to anime, right?" Konata questioned.

"It's at least happened once with some show, I can just picture it," Kaito said.

"It makes me think…" Patricia said. Focus was put on her. "Have you ever gone into a restaurant and see something new on their menu, and when you order it…it has some strange sauce or vegetable that makes it unappetizing? Why can't they clearly show everything in the commercial?"

"That's probably just bad marketing," Hiyori believed. "I hate it when that happens though. Especially with burgers, because things like pickles can get so easily hidden between the meat and bigger vegetables."

"I've learned that if you feel unsure about a particular purchase, you should specifically ask if they make any more changes then the ones they show you on TV," Miyuki concluded. "One day, I wanted to try out this new type of pizza that advertised with an immense amount of cheese. But when I asked about it, they say that they replace the sauce with some kind of soft, white cheese. And I never ordered it."

"Oh, you like pizza Miyuki-san?" Konata said amazed.

"I enjoy it. Mom gets tired sometimes, so I'm accustomed to ordering something once in a while."

"Hmm…that's interesting. How do you feel about pizza Kaito?" Konata said.

But to Kaito didn't give a response. His head looked lifeless as it rested on his right shoulder. His eyes were unmoving like stone. This again caused the girls to focus back on the TV.

The sounds of the beach echoed through the apartment as the character breezed through the shallow part of the water. With each movement she had up a stance of grace and beauty. Her breasts shifted in a wonderful motion as they were held comfortably by a white top with a knot at the end. The girl stopped at that moment though, revealing her brown hair and orange ribbon as they swayed when she turned her head.

She immediately walked away from the water, moving directly at the camera. At this point now though, she was holding a strangely long red can in her hands. Her physique showed off a bit more as she giggled as she ran towards the screen. She came to a slight stop, but backed up just so she could make a pose moving the can at the screen. It had a picture of her in her own school uniform, drinking the drink that was being shown.

"Buy a minimum of five, all at once!" she simply said.

This brought another pose on the screen of her simply tilting her head back and drinking the soda. Like the last commercial, was covered in several sayings depicting why you should by it. They were a bit easier to see though as they were in bigger text and we held up for a longer period of time.

"For the world's thirst: SOS. Brigade Leader's Top Recommendation! Extra Large Haruhi On sale for a limited time!" the signs depicted.

Everyone responded to the commercial a little better than the shock of the last one. The three otaku girls smiled seeing one of their favorite figures advertising a brand of soda. Miyuki kept on her trademark style remembering the great taste of the soda she drank. Kaito however still kept his blank stare with his head tilted. Though this time, a small bit a drool formed around the lower corner of his mouth.

Konata moved her head seeing how her sick friend was still in his trance. She scratched her face and decided to console him.

"Uh, Kaito-kun? Is this the commercial?"

"…yes," he simply replied.

The four slightly sweatdropped, knowing their only male friend was showing his perversion in public. They all smiled though, knowing that he could still remain a reliable, kind, and realistic person.

* * *

There you go everyone. Feel free to say what you want about my 20th chapter, because I know about the mistakes very well. The seriousness is only going to get this far though, so you shouldn't have to worry about anything huge ruining the next couple of chapters. I try to keep it like Lucky Star's style no matter what.

Please Review!


	21. Impulse and Curiosity

Ok guys, before I start off with this chapter, I really have to say: Please Read The Author's Notes at the Beginning and End of This Chapter.

First off, I have to tell you guys...thank you all so much for reading this far into my story. I just passed over 100,000 words, something I did not expect at all, and I just really have you guys and your comments to thank. This anime in general just has such a positive fanbase, it rocks. Thank all you readers, reviewers, alerters, and fav-ers.

Now I am going to admit that this chapter is not going to settle well with everyone. It's similar to how Chapter 4 was, but I'm editted it to be more like Chapter 10. Referencey but with **important significance**. So I am going to admit, some of you who prefer the slice of life aspect more of the show are going to feel a little iffy with the first one and a half scenes. I do try though to keep it spiced up so it will keep your interest and not just appear like a big gimmick for advertisement. (Even if the show is a little guilty of it too) The other thing is that you might look at me like I've done something majorly wrong, which I'm going to admit, is true. So I won't put it against you if you review honestly.

I also took it upon myself to proofread it by myself. I was late and felt like just doing things by myself because of how I treated the chapter.

Please Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 21: Impulse and Curiosity**

Saturday was a very relaxing time for the Japanese people. Schools would only run for half-days and workers usually could take the day off. This would be the perfect opportunity for all to enjoy their time before repeating their menial tasks for the next week. Whether to have fun now or to prepare for Sunday, everyone was ready for a good time. And nothing could begin anyone's relaxation without a purchase or two.

Four males slowly ascended from the ground towards the top floor of a particular apartment complex. Kaito acted a bit more active than usual as he kicked his legs with each step. His friends though felt confused about being summoned to the temporary house. At lunch he was explaining to everyone that they had to go with him no matter what the cost. They were not accustomed to Kaito inviting them over. It was almost always the other way around.

The teenager nearly tore the door off its hinges as he walked inside valiantly. This caused even more bewilderment between his spectating friends as they followed him in. They entered into the small apartment as the visitors leaned against the wall looking around at everything. What stuck out the most though was the single TV, the newly acquired Playstation 3, and a large sized box covered in a red sheet.

Ryuta decided to break the ice. "So Kaito-kun, what was the important announcement about?"

Kaito did a slight cough before looking over all of his friends. "Gentlemen…" He slowly said, unbuttoning the top two buttons of his school uniform. "For years we've been searching for the ultimate game to play as a group. Though due to the fact that me and Ryuta-kun are the only hardcore gamers among us, we haven't found the best thing. The only games we've played so far for the four of us are incredibly boring or loose their flare quickly."

"And we lack online connections." Minoru guiltily reminded.

"Exactly." He took a serious tone as he slowly marched across them like a military general. "But thanks of my constant searching; I've found the perfect game that will keep us entertained for years to come."

At that point, Kaito grabbed the sheet with breakneck speed and unveiled the boxes. It was a colossus, several times the size of the game console it was to be played on. The otaku friend held up a smirk as he looked at it, while Taichi and Minoru looked at it in complete awe. Only one game was to be in that large box? There had to be more…but at that time, they slowly looked past it to see another rectangular package.

The three friends took the time to move towards the decorated mammoth and gaze at every bit of it. It was filled with tons of dark colors with silhouettes of players in the background. The logo flashed off on every side appearing bold and sharp. The otakus especially looked at the controllers and very small pieces of text with much interest. As glorious at it appeared, Taichi held his fingers to his chin as he slowly pronounced the title.

"Rock…Band. This is the thing you spent over 26000 yen for Kaito?"

"Yep!" He said triumphantly.

The glasses-wearing one of the group looked at the instruments as he spoke. "I can see how this would appeal to you and me, but do you think Minoru and Taichi-kun can handle this?"

"Ah, that's the beautiful part." Kaito began. "While you have the option of playing guitar, you also have the possibilities of playing on drums or singing."

Ryuta's eyes lit up hear that last wondrous part. Drums outside of the arcade or an actual set? His inner musician really perked up knowing that he could enjoy his own instrument from this kind of company. Unlike Kaito's delusion of rock star fantasy, Ryuta actually did play a real instrument for several years. He didn't have a problem in wailing away at plastic guitars, but he was definitely intrigued.

The normal one of the group though, sighed looking at the letters. "You really think we can sing these songs Kaito-san?"

"Minoru, it doesn't matter. Some of the songs in it; I do recognize. But we all have to take English classes anyway. Don't you plan on majoring in Communications?"

"Well…" He said, a sweat drop forming around his head.

"Even if we can't sing, we'll still be able to play it constantly. It's not too hard to try and there's no way this game is going to yell at you for not singing it fluently."

"I'm not too good though." Taichi admitted.

"You can learn."

Minoru took another inspection on the box, seeing a fatal flaw in this plan. "Uh, Kaito-kun, there's only one guitar controller."

"That's exactly why I got a second." He said confidently.

As he said that, Kaito picked up the smaller black rectangle revealing another guitar-shaped peripheral. This one was much different though from the one advertised in the large package. It had a pure black, sharper look with a more simple design on the faceplate. It also lacked the five crucial buttons at the bottom of the neck of the Rock Band controller. He instantly ripped the box open already feeling the nostalgia of the older rhythm games.

Taichi felt some a mysterious aura about his otaku friend as he happily opened the boxes like Christmas presents. If he put that much study and money into such a possible waste, he had to appreciate it. While he wasn't as much into video games as his friends, his soft spot for the written works would often be too much for him to bear. He made a sigh, while keeping a large grin on his face as he looked down on Kaito.

"I suppose if you spent this much money on it, it's worth giving a try." The chubby guy said.

The considerably normal one of the group scratched the back of his head as he looked at the game package. "I guess I should join into the group experience if everyone else is doing it. Singing can't be too hard, can it?"

"These drums better be fun…" Ryuta said.

"I'm sure you all won't regret this." Kaito assured.

"Aren't you the one spending the money?" Minoru quipped.

The four of them had a laugh over it as they removed every piece of equipment from the box. Their faces of anticipation quickly changed to groans as they realized so much stuff had to be plugged in and assembled. Ryuta especially felt ripped off as his drum set was simply four weak, plastic-like pads that needed more parts than anything. It did come with a bass pedal though, so it would be somewhat difficult.

Kaito quickly moved to connecting everything to the general console. Every cable went into its appropriate adapter without error. Taichi look curious over his own plastic guitar that came with a game. It resembled a much different guitar than the other ones he had seen, looking more realistic. Its neck was much longer and had a few extra items that felt unnecessary. Minoru felt a little guilty seeing his friends do all the work with the technology, while he waited patiently. With one last plug in, Kaito stood triumphantly knowing he would finally be test out this glorious product from the United States.

But not just yet…

From hearing all the dialogue and conversation, the foreigner roommate walked out of her domain to see what was going on. Kaito had been strangely late coming back to the apartment. She would usually be informed on any that would happen. To her surprise though, she dealt with four teenagers all huddled around a television screen. She was mentally ecstatic, though had to keep a very calm façade.

"Oh, K-K-Kaito-kun…" Patricia stammered. "I didn't know you were bringing friends."

Her roommate looked at her innocently as he closed his eyes and looked away. "It was an emergency situation so I kind of did it without notice."

"Oh, Martin-san." Shiraishi acknowledged.

"Hi there." She greeted.

Kaito ignored the strange recognition between the two, but felt as though he needed to introduce his other friends. May as well appear polite when she had caught him on the spot.

"Uh, Patricia-chan, these are my friends. You probably recognize Minoru-san here, but these two are Ryuta and Taichi-kun."

"Hi. Yo." Both of them responded.

"It's always nice to meet friends of Kaito-kun." She smiled. She leaned over to see all the electronics on the floor. "You setting up that package you received?"

"Yep. It better be worth all the money I spent if it has this many parts." He said.

"I hope you kept the receipt." Taichi said as his eyes wandered around the floor. But as his eyes moved he saw something very peculiar on top of the one piece of furniture in the apartment.

His attention skewed off the electronics for a second as he bent down towards the kotatsu. The lone thing that caught his eyes was a very familiar cover he saw. It had a pink haired girl in a rather sultry position. His body shook, picking it up with both hands and staring at it like a jewel. His head was filled up with more confusion more than ever as he looked at his friend.

"Kaito…I thought you through this away."

The said boy took a breather before speaking. "Taichi, I'm sorry."

"For what?" He responded.

"I broke a very important otaku rule."

"What's that?"

"You can't base a series on its anime adaptation."

The three spectators nodded in agreement with that statement. Many despised anime series had very good light novel or manga roots, especially in the fanservice genre. Animation studios have a tendency of altering the characters to try to appeal more to fans. It usually doesn't work well.

"I made the mistake of doing so." Kaito admitted. "But after lunch I took it out of the trash and gave it a try. It's not bad or anything and the characters are much more enjoyable."

"It is. I've seen that anime too, there's no way that kid is that tiny."

"I really need to look over things first though, before declaring they are bad."

"Hehe, its fine."

As the two guys easily solved their quarrel, the spectators each had specifics responses. Ryuta and Minoru nodded knowing that they wouldn't have to worry about any more arguing and they could get back to the game. Patricia on the other hand…she was in a state of ecstasy only very few fujoshi's could lay their eyes on.

* * *

The mood completely changed for the two teenagers in their resolution. Instead of the normal, mundane atmosphere of an apartment, it turned into a shimmering background of pink and orange. Bubbles seemed to appear as the two boys' faces matched the coral colors Patricia imagined. They still acted the same though as Taichi held the tankobon close to his body. Kaito's eyes were elegant, yet focused on his physique.

"Taichi-kun, I'm sorry for being so careless."

"No no, it's fine. I shouldn't even be looking at that boring smut in the first place."

"I don't care what you look at. I hurt your feelings and I never want to put you through that kind of drama ever again."

"Kaito-kun, you are just too kind to me. I don't deserve someone like you."

"Trust me. You've done everything to deserve me."

"Kaito…"

"Taichi…"

They said as the slowly moved toward each other.

* * *

Back to reality though, they boys were had to go under a new conundrum. The one girl in the room was going into hysterics as she flailed her head and body around. Her head was held tightly between her hands as her face looked completely scrunched. Part of them wanted to figure out what was the matter, but they couldn't help but just watch the whole spectacle take place.

"Oh, such perverted thoughts!" Patricia's mind screamed as she watched her roommate and his friend in such a strange manner. "This is probably how Hiyorin feels when every time she sees something really heavy…"

"What's happening?" Ryuta whispered.

"No idea…" Minoru just said, completely listless.

"Patricia-chan?" Kaito said. The echo of his voice snapped her back into reality. She returned to normal, but her face looked a bit pinker than usual. "Is there anything you needed?"

"What?" She said, but then she quickly thought of a response. "Oh nothing, I just wanted to know where you were. But since you are all here with your friend, that's ok. Just be sure to tell me next time."

"Thanks, Patricia-chan." He said happily.

"Now if you excuse me, I'll be in my room." She said briskly as she walked towards it. As her hand rested on the doorknob, she quickly turned to the four boys. "Try not to bug me, ok?"

"Hehe, no problem." Shiraishi said, trying to stay as a polite guest.

With that notion, Patricia closed the door to leave the teenagers back to their little game. Kaito quickly went back to work turning everything on, but the others became intrigued over what happened. They finally had a taste of what the otaku was truly going through. It was kind of strange, but it looked like an interesting trade off. Taichi sat towards the left side of the TV, while Ryuta sat in the middle on a nearby chair.

His best friend had to speak.

"Kaito, your roommate is hot."

He sweat dropped hearing those words. "She's in the other room you know."

* * *

A few hours had passed after the four teenagers set up their game. The whole apartment erupted in the sounds from the television, the instruments, and the players themselves. Kaito and Ryuta were easily entranced by the game's addictive nature, hitting nearly every note and accumulating most of the points for the group. The less obsessed also had incredible fun, even if they couldn't perform as well. A decent amount of the setlist had been ripped through, so they knew there was still several hours left for perfection.

The ruckus, however, did not make it easy for Patricia to concentrate. Her teachers dropped a bomb full of homework on her for the weekend, including what she missed from the earlier in the week. Due to the high standards of Japanese education, it needed to be completed quickly. Her special shrine, however, did work as a nice place to focus on her studies. Yet even with this, the noise wasn't the only problem.

Like a normal otaku, she instantly relaxed upon coming home. The weekends were usually the primetime hours when all of her new series would update. She had to prepare and download everything necessary in order to evenly catch up with the new season. She clicked around several webpages making sure she would get every episode on to her computer. As everything went in motion though, there was a fatal flaw.

It was all moving too slow. Notoriously slow, causing her to wait for simple things like forums and review websites. She frowned, realizing that this would force her to now focus on her incredibly boring work. But she was now faced with a dilemma of no background music. Her generation needed that atmosphere now to do anything correctly. She started to think of songs as she moved towards her books.

As she started writing though, a small shockwave of sound came from the living room. The sounds of guitar, bass, and drums started to pick up as an unfamiliar tune started coming through the walls. Combined with the sounds of wood hitting plastic, it just made her groan as she pushed her brain couldn't comprehend the sound. However, instead of telling Kaito to stop, she figured that this would be a reasonable excuse to not do work. She realized she could use his presence to kill time for her downloads.

Patricia slowly opened the door as she slid into the main room. She didn't really want to break their concentration on the song. She couldn't help though but gaze at her tv screen as it lit up with several descending colors. The black background made four particular performers stand out even around a screaming horde of fans. Each section of the screen was intricate, with a line going across the top, and three separate sections moving at different speeds. The two at the side were decorated with a blue fade, while the middle kept up a consistent combo even with tons of red colored rolls.

Her head slowly started to tilt back in forth listening to the tune of the song, even if Shiraishi was butchering it to keep his points up. The singer sounded like something she had heard before. Something that her parents would listen to time and time again. As Kaito completed his solo, she listened to the chorus repeat itself. It was so strange; she remembered hearing that word before. It was in one of her earlier history classes about the early twentieth century.

In one point of silence, she watched as the three instrument players hit series of notes in complete unison. The screen exploded with light, as the singer raised his voice and began to shout. The characters jumped in the air as the guitarist flailed away at his instrument. Everyone began moving to the groove of the song, in and out of the game. The four were flowing along to the song, as they nailed the final chorus up to its climatic ending.

As it ended, the sections disappeared to reveal the cheering characters. The camera panned around each person celebrating in their own individual way. In reality though, each person was showing their gratitude as they scored high on the song. A final screen appeared, showing five lovely black stars with high percentages all across the board. Kaito grinned from another perfect streak as he stretched his neck around. He blinked though, surprised at his roommate who had snuck into the room.

"Patricia-chan…" He slowly said. His friends slowly turned to look at the fujoshi.

"Wow." She simply said. "You spent your money on that?"

All four of them shrugged, now used to the greatness of local multiplayer. "Yeah."

"That was wonderful. I wish I had watched some of it earlier." She smiled.

Ryuta crossed his arms as he looked down on the ground. "Glad you enjoy it, but I feel like I'm getting worse." He grunted. His percentage was a few notes off from being that of Kaito's.

"You think I'm playing decent enough?" Taichi asked.

"You're doing fine." Kaito assured. "Bass is simple, so you'll get used to it. Just be sure to get to a higher difficulty, ok?" Taichi made a nod and looked back on the game.

"Can I get a drink?" Minoru interrupted. "My voice is getting kind of sore."

"Go ahead."

At that moment, Patricia remembered a very crucial thing about Kaito. It made her feel a little embarrassed forgetting something that obvious to his personality. With her computer occupied, she could definitely borrow his to kill time. While video games were fine, her passion for animated works is what really made her day. She stood up and spoke as Minoru reached the kitchen door.

"Kaito-kun, would you mind if I used your laptop? My computer's going really slow because I'm downloading a bunch of stuff."

"Sure." He nodded.

As the two walked into the kitchen, Patricia quickly opened up her roommate's hibernated laptop. She giggled in delight when the screen changed from pitch black to a relaxing background of a lush forest. Shiraishi nabbed a soda from the fridge and swiftly went back to play more of the game's entertaining songs. The foreigner took a quick glance at the mouse before she started moving.

"What to do first…"

She peered her eyes around the various icons, noticing something very off. Kaito didn't have the same kind of browser she did. Patricia rolled her eyes knowing that browsing the internet wouldn't be as efficient as she hoped. Her pointer went down to the taskbar bar, opening up the wide menu to tons of shortcut. She accidentally slipped though, causing the pointer to land on the crucial submenu. Her sapphire eyes honed in the title of each file. One caught her interest though.

"Games to buy…well if Kaito picked that game out there, his taste is probably really good. I should expand my game library."

* * *

In the streets of Akihabara, Konata and her friends were fiddling around Gamerz to find and grab the newly stocked boxes of treats. She had been planning out this day after finally discovering the shipping dates of her favorite stores. Her need for rare cards and figurines had to be fulfilled, no matter what the cost. And even if she didn't get what she wanted, there's always the advantage of free snacks.

As they gathered around the cash register, Konata laid out dozens of snacks at the counter ready to buy. The Hiiragi twins soon followed with a few pink and green boxes of their own. They had an excuse to buy some guilt-free treats while they could give away the items to their obsessed friends. Miyuki stood near them, not anxious to by, but just to enjoy the company of her friends.

Through a quick transaction, several plastic bags containing the goodies were tossed off to the teenaged girls. Konata marched out happily, even though she hadn't opened the boxes yet. Kagami groaned having to play caddy for all the items.

"Can't wait to get home and open these things up. That's where the true fun lies." Konata said confidently.

"I like getting these." Tsukasa plainly said. "While I not always care for what I get, I always love eating the candies that come inside."

"You don't care about what you get?" Konata said, her voice deepening. Tsukasa could feel enmity setting on her.

"Tsukasa generally likes to focus on the candy only. I hold onto any prize I get though." Kagami said. When she finished her sentence, Konata turned her head giving her iconic smile at the tsundere. "It-it would simply be a waste to throw away any of those things. They are kind of fun to look at…"

"Makes sense." Miyuki agreed. "If you can make use out of anything, it's best to just keep it instead of throwing it in the trash."

"I bet for Miyuki-san she can just buy a duplicate of anything she uses." Her short friend dismissed.

"I don't think you should make those kinds of assumptions." Kagami said defensively.

"Sometimes I have been guilty though for buying an extra thing that I could have repaired. On one occasion when our computer stopped working, my mom bought a new one instead of sending it to tech support." Miyuki explained.

"I think my qualities are rubbing off on my friends…" Konata thought with excitement.

"It feels like I'm turning into her…" Kagami thought disdainfully as she placed her hand on her forehead.

As she repositioned her arms though, she looked in new found panic at her watch. Konata's otaku pilgrimages would always take too long. While everyone else was in the blissful state, she knew that she had to tell everyone to make it to the train. They would have to make the train or wait nearly an hour to find a way to get back home. She wanted to get a head start on her homework after all.

"Guys, we have to get moving!" The tsundere shouted. They all looked at her with confusion. "If we don't get to the train soon, it's going to leave without us! Do you want to walk home?"

With that new found inspiration, Konata sharpened her eyes while the other girls panicked. Locking hands, they dashed off to the more heavily crowded areas of the city. The girls stomped down the stairs, making sure they would make it into the transportation vessel. Even if they had to push through several regular citizens, they didn't want to suffer the inconvenience. In a stroke of luck, the four of them entered inside with little room to stretch.

"We, we made it." Kagami said, panting.

"I wish we could have walked…" Miyuki complained.

"Either way, I'm just glad that I'll be able to head home and relax with my treasures." Konata said.

"Good luck with that Kona-chan." Tsukasa said.

Unknown to the girls though, they had entered the train in the very nick of time. As they held onto the handles, they dealt with the sudden jerk of the train moving. The doors soon closed. However, a very small slip was stuck between the doors. When they tried to relax, Tsukasa felt a new sense of horror seeing her skirt stuck within the door. She immediately dropped her boxes trying to figure out a solution.

"Ah! I'm stuck!" Tsukasa shrieked.

"Don't try to move Tsukasa-san!" Miyuki advised. You might tear your uniform!"

"I'll just take off the bottom then!" The younger twin said.

"Don't do something like that in public!" Kagami said.

Konata however, had a different perspective on the situation. "While it's a frightening, did she have to drop those bags? Some of those figurines could now be broken…" She thought.

* * *

Back in the apartment, the boys had hit their last hours from playing the game. Fun was had all around, but there were new problems arising. Ryuta started to complain that his leg muscles were getting more and more sore due to the primitive excuse for a bass pedal. Minoru also didn't want to hurt his vocal chords. After few plays, Taichi was starting to flick his fingers to make sure they wouldn't cramp up on him.

"I'm going to need to head home soon…" The bespectacled one said.

"Need to work on my homework as well." Their vocalist squeaked out.

Kaito sighed, knowing his friends wouldn't have the amount of stamina for playing the game in one session. "Fine. Just we have to play it again sometime."

"Oh, without a doubt." The three quickly responded.

"I just hope I can get better at the game when we play it later." Taichi said, scratching the back of his head.

"I should let you borrow my other guitar games Taichi-kun." Kaito said. "It's more complex then bass, but should help you over all."

"Thanks."

Kaito stretched his arms though, still anticipated to play more. He decided to do the one thing that would always continue play. "One more song?"

"I'm up for it." Minoru said. "I should start studying on these bands in advance though before playing."

"I should do the same." Ryuta agreed. "Can you believe we only got four stars on that last song? Is it really supposed to be in the fifth tier?"

"And how long was that snare roll?" The fanservice enthusiast said.

"I don't know, but it felt like twenty seconds." The drummer groaned.

"That really caught us off guard. I'm going to have to find at more about the band, especially with the singing." Minoru said with inspiration.

"Good luck with that, we nearly failed out several times because of you." Kaito said bitterly. "I know the band has had a song in the series before, but I don't know anything about the singer. People often say that he has the lips of a monkey."

The four boys were too caught up in their own conversation to hear the kitchen door opening. Patricia slumped out of the room with soulless eyes and a peculiarly red face. Her socks pressed against the carpet as she barely moved in the room. She laid down on her futon, feeling strangely heavy at that moment. It felt as if anvils were tied to her head or a giant screw was bored into it.

The things she had witnessed on that laptop were a bit much for her to completely conceive. It was had for her to lay her eyes on the roommate who had been there for so long. He was preoccupied with his game, but that didn't matter. What did matter though was the complex information found. Kaito slowly looked around the room, trying to figure out the best way to extend his friend's play time. He was a little stunned that he once again missed Patricia walking in.

"Patricia, would you mind doing us a favor?"

Her head clicked again, as she saw the eager males waiting for her response. "Oh um…what do you need?" She said, with her voice reflecting the condition of her eyes.

Kaito ignored this, simply cutting to the chase. "The guys are going to leave soon, and we decided to choose one last song to play. Would you like to choose the final song?"

Patricia's ears perked up to this. Letting her make a decision now seemed like a brand new window of opportunity. "Sure. Can I see the songs?"

With that cue, Kaito moved from the stats screen to a different scene all together. It looked like a floating gray scroll with several titles listed. Without precaution, he randomly moved down the list with each tap of his strum bar. He wanted to have one nice to play that would leave today's experience on a happy note. As he started to reach the end though, he was quickly told to halt.

"Right there." The gaijin said.

He stopped on the correct, double titled song. She looked at the name with awe as the demo started to echo through the name. This band was quite precious to her. On some bad days from her school back in the United States, her dad would blast the volume on that album in the car. The lyrics would just make her feel incredibly upbeat and in sync with the world, even if it wasn't the bubblegum Jpop music of today.

"Can you play that one?" She asked softly.

"No problem."

At that whim, the group moved to the next scene of choosing their difficulty. They waited patiently for the loading screen to move towards the game play. As the song loaded, they looked very interested in the mood set for this particular place. The background was illuminated by several candles being partially incased with fog. The four avatars stood there as they waited for their parts to soon be played. A melodic organ started things of with a slow beat, but quickly moved into a major unison bonus for the three instrument players.

Ryuta started the session off hitting a strange roll on his fake hi-hat. This continued on until the bassist entered the fray, causing an even larger influx of sound and causing the drummer to move onto his "tom-toms." The wondrous sounds of piano and electric guitar blended smoothly into mix as it created an explosion of progressive rock music. All three of them also activated their overdrive, giving them extra points and a larger influx to their sound.

But this wouldn't last long, as when they hit their second unison bonus; Kaito got irritated by a familiar feeling. He paused the game, causing some outrage by his friends.

"What the hell man." Ryuta said outraged.

"It's my phone guys, I have to take this." Kaito said. He looked at the clear, information giving piece of the phone. "It's my mom."

"Tell her I said hi!" Taichi said strangely skittish.

He flicked open the phone and placed it near his ear. "Hello? Hi mom, how are you? Good, having fun at Ryuta's."

His three friends sweat dropped, disapproving of the bold-face lying he would do.

"Really?!" Kaito said with enthusiasm. "That's great! I'll see you tomorrow mom!" He closed his phone.

"What happened?" Minoru asked.

"Excellent news guys, my house is fixed! I'll be going back to it tomorrow!"

As his three friends cheered on with shouts and button pressing, Patricia still felt strangely dormant. He's leaving now? It had been so long…and with this new breakthrough of fun and enjoyment? Her brain felt even more confused. She tilted her head back, letting her pillow to try and cleanse her thoughts. Now there was only one day left to truly understand her roommate…

Even though this was a joyous celebration, Ryuta blinked noticing a really important problem.

"Uh-oh." He quickly said.

"What's wrong?"

"The bass pedal…broke." He pointed out. As they inspected it, a large portion of the black plastic had been snapped off due to constant stress. They all had horrid looks in their faces upon this discovery.

"Damn!" Taichi said. "And we just bought this game!"

"I can't believe all this time and money went to nothing!" Minoru whimpered.

"This sucks." The drummer complained the most, his stress ruining the experience.

"Guys..." Kaito said, somewhat embarrassed. "The company has a superb maintenance policy."

* * *

Hope you all were able to deal with that. Now speaking of references and such, I was actually intending on making the final scene longer. Since I love the song and it can be absolutely perfect for the situation, I'm thinking of making an individual snipplet of it where it's extended and Ryuta's bass pedal does not break. I'll leave it up to you. (Though I feel a little guilty about this with weluvgirlswithglasses)

EDIT: I know you guys are probably getting irritated at the idea of an American Exclusive Game getting imported to Japanese shores, but I do want to say that it isn't as impossible as it seems. Harmonix has actually announced that they will be releasing their own addition of Rock Band SPECIFICALLY for Japan. And Konami is even jumping onto the scene making a Rock Band Esque game called Rock Revolution. Better watch out, cause rhythm games are really taking over. :P

EDIT 2: The Underlying Theme is now released! Read if you wish to see an alternate take on the ending scene!

Second of all, an issue with some of Lucky Star's characters, is that they have biographical information that isn't really seen in the anime. And since the manga isn't moving along, we'll just have to assume. Konata, Kagami, Miyuki, and Tsukasa have been fully analyzed, but everyone else, hasn't. (I used wikipedia for a source on biographical information, and it contained stuff I didn't see in the anime, but is believably in the manga) So if anyone feels confused by this, I just want to fill you in. I particularly say this because it says Patty and Hiyori are into Boys Love and that sort of thing, so that's why the 2nd scene may be hard to cope with. ...sorry for that if it irritated anyone.

Please Review! You guys rock!


	22. Act Raiser

Here's you go loyal fans. Chapter 22. I bet you've been hankering for a new chapter, especially since last week I created an add-on for Chapter 21. Things are starting to become difficult now. I really have a ton of bases to cover and I'm going to need to think of more ideas to keep everything running smoothly. Again though, I have to thank you all for reading, reviewing and suggesting ideas. I appreciate your following immensely.

Big stuff happens for this chapter, DO NOT IGNORE IT. But just because certain things happens, doesn't mean you can predict the ending. You've seen movies. ...I kind of feel like something is still off about this chapter despite several proofreadings and thought processing. If you do see an error or two, be sure to inform me. If I didn't re-read, I would of had a good epic fail moment. :X

**Disclaimer: Lucky Star is owned by mangaka Yoshimizu Kagami. Ryuta and Kaito belong to me.**

* * *

**Chapter 22: Act Raiser**

Kaito groaned as he began putting boxes outside of the apartment. It was his very last day before he had to go back to his parents. However, like all movers, he had to take his stuff out of the apartment and in his car. It was something too familiar he had to deal with, even if he had been away from his family for a decent period of time. He looked back into the room though and smiled, seeing he would have some help.

His three friends were in a similar mood as they carried out various boxes from the room. Through guilt and persuasion, Kaito convinced them into helping him move. He watched on as they gingerly carried the games and the systems into the outdoors. Once they hit the ground, they had to take a moment to catch their breath. Nearly everything was outside and still had to be moved from the top floor, into the elevator, then out into the parking lot to his red car.

"Ugh…" Taichi whined. "Why are we doing this again?"

"The deal was that you help me move and I treat you all to some shabu-shabu." Kaito confirmed.

"It's been months since I've had some." Ryuta said.

"Personally, I'm partial to shabu-shabu." Minoru said. "The beef and vegetables are fine, but it feels like the true taste comes from the ponzu that comes with it."

"Makes sense." Kaito agreed. "But part of the appeal of it is that you basically get to make the food yourself and watch it in action." He looked back over at his boxes, realizing that they were getting into the double digits. "Hey, let's start moving this stuff to the car."

They all stretched as they started moving down the aisle to the elevator. Everyone was carrying two boxes under each arm, except for Ryuta who held the large game box. They entered in carefully, trying to fit within the small room without damaging any of the items. Minoru especially had trouble as he was holding on to all of the fragile electronics, including both consoles. As he settled them down, he spoke towards the gaming otaku.

"Kaito-san, did you have to bring this much stuff to someone else's house?"

"Of course. Just because I move, doesn't mean I should throw of my gaming skills."

"Hehe." Taichi smiled. "If you got worse, that means I would be able to beat you for once."

"It might happen…" Kaito said. "However, whenever you get rusty at something, and you pick it back up, you quickly return to how good you used to play."

"That always happens with games. Stuff like drums though, you will never forget." Ryuta said.

"That's because you've never stopped playing them." Kaito quipped.

"I don't think you would forget how to play an instrument though. Though wouldn't drums be hard because there are so many precise patterns?" Minoru asked.

"With live shows, most professionals do have to kind of go with along with the song. It's not that easy to write down. But whenever you play drums, you have to learn two obvious things. Limb dependency and basic patterns."

As much as Taichi enjoyed the conversation, he thought of something important as he was carrying the boxes. "Hey, Kaito-kun…"

"What?" He asked.

"Will you miss Patricia-san?"

"I'm going back home, I'm not moving away." He dismissed.

"Yeah, but…you won't be living here." He said the obvious.

"It'll take some time to get used to." Kaito said. "Shouldn't be a problem though. We are good friends after all."

"You think she'll be upset over you?" Ryuta questioned.

"She's a strong girl. She's probably fine."

As he said that though, the elevator stopped at the bottom floor. Each boy gripped onto their boxes and walked off to the car. Unbeknownst to them though, they were being watched. A single, blonde haired girl watched them on from the top floor of the apartment complex. She kept gazing at the students as they slowly matched towards the red car. Her eyes shifted on the chestnut haired boy.

"Kaito-kun…" Patricia thought. "Why do you have to leave now? I just had to read about your thoughts on the day before you were leaving. Now I don't want you to go."

Patricia walked back into the living room, going towards the futon she would commonly sleep on. As she sat on it, she looked towards the spare she had placed besides her. Her roommate would always sleep on it and keep his distance. The whole day she had been quiet, pondering exactly how to handle this situation. There wasn't anyone really to talk to about it. She wanted to know what to do.

The positives about Kaito began to simmer in her brain. He would cook for her and sometimes clean with little attitude. He would always respect her personal space whenever she changed into the morning or went to the bathroom. And then the day they hugged…it was such a crucial moment to her. But because of the boy, she didn't go to bed sad. She remembered that he made great detail of what happened.

The laptop was packed away, but she wouldn't look at it even if she wanted too. In that very misleading file, his secrets were revealed. Now one of the girls that he cared for could start to feel the pressure that was encroaching them. The swirling cauldron of feelings made her incredibly confused. She wasn't use to this possible stereotype to the common man.

She breathed heavily as she stood up. There was one possible way to get an answer from all this. After learning the information about Kaito, it wouldn't hurt to give anything a chance. While he didn't want to take risks when dealing with all these women, he did not consider what they might of thought. As she walked back out the door to look on at him, she began to deliberate the possible situations.

"Oh…do I really want to do this? I'm not sure I should gamble my reputation on something the Japanese take so critically." She complained. "Maybe I should just take his advice…and let fate decide the rest."

The female otaku though panicked as she saw the boys coming back to get their next haul of boxes. She closed the door, deciding to wait patiently for what would happen. The four teenagers gathered around the boxes, Kaito didn't grab anything. They looked at him puzzled believing that he would finish up everything at this very moment.

"What are you waiting for?" Shiraishi said.

"You guys go on ahead to the car. I'll handle the rest." He said, flicking his hand. "I just need to say goodbye to Patricia-chan."

The three nodded as they returned to their obligation for free food. Kaito sighed as he opened the door, to wish his goodbyes. He never had to do really do this before. Usually if something this big happened, physical space would break the flow of interaction and communication. But it's not like this would be total separation. There was still school and the times he would hang out with Konata.

He walked into the living room, seeing it strangely empty. Patricia's heartbeat moved at a snail's pace upon seeing him. She temporarily put all of her serious thoughts on hold before she talked to her now departing roommate. She rubbed her head trying to think of the right words to say. Patty wanted to get his attention and give a graceful farewell, without making him feel uncomfortable.

She took a small step in her socks to get closer. It felt like a standing on the edge of a canyon. Her voice returned her normally giddy state.

"Kaito-kun, are you leaving now?" She addressed him.

He turned around, a little taken off by her surprise. "Oh, Patricia-chan. Yeah, I'm getting ready to go."

"It's a shame really." Patricia said, her eyes closing in disappointment. "Wish you could of stayed longer."

"I know." He nodded. "At least now though we don't have to worry about money now."

She giggled. "That's true."

He went along with her little laugh, as he scratched his head. He didn't want to turn this situation into an awkward one. The best thing to do would be to let himself out in the politest way possible.

"So before I leave…" He began. Patricia looked at him with her head partially tilted. "I'm still technically your maid; do you need me to something before you leave?"

She blinked, seeing this window of opportunity. Some of the gloom she had earlier started to dissolves away knowing she'd have this moment of kindness. Her face illuminated with a new smile as her eyes began to shine. Her arms extended out like an eagle showing off her body in all of its glory. Kaito could quickly study her body language, knowing what she would want.

"Can you give me one more hug?" She suggested.

He grinned. Hugs were some of the best things you could receive from women. His eyes started to wonder, having a guilty glance at her chest. He openly stepped forward with his arms extended out as well. Patricia leaned in, knowing to savor this moment. However, Kaito's face turned awry as he remembered something very important. His arms dropped, giving the foreigner some confusion.

"Hold that thought." He said quickly. "I left something here."

Her façade dropped as Kaito walked across the room. His hands ravaged around his futon trying to find that precious thing. Patricia's arms that were once broad became close. She fiddled around with her hands, not sure what to do. She couldn't tell if this glorious moment was put on pause or completely shot down. Her thoughts changed though, seeing Kaito holding onto his item in hand.

"My…" Kaito said. "My pearl DS. This thing, wow, it has just done so much for me."

"What has it done?" She asked curiously.

"I know this sounds odd…" The boy said with his back still turned to her to focus on the handheld. "You could say this thing is the reason why I've started hanging out with everyone. It's kind of odd how simple things like this can bring people together. Konata kind of caught this first. Then I just started hanging out with different people. Didn't really expect to find some nice people in their first year of Ryoo, either."

Patricia slowly absorbed the words as she walked up to him closely. The invisible hand of fate seemed to play a bigger role than she had believed. She was slowly being controlled by it, as she knew what to do. Kaito was completely unaware that her presence was only a few centimeters away. His gaze was still locked onto his lovely, white game system. His thought bubble however popped from a few simple words.

"Kaito-kun…" She said sweetly.

"Yeah?" He said, turning his head. Little did he know, the position he set himself up in.

Once his body was directly facing her…the whole process occurred. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and drew him in. Her lips perked up as she contacted them against Kaito's. Her entire being began to shine heavenly as she was engaging in this critical moment. The press she made against the boy wasn't too deep or a simple peck. Making that particular move gave her the right to act serious in this very moment.

Kaito was blindsided by this event. She wanted a hug…but she really wanted more. He wasn't sure how to handle the situation. The first kiss is a sacred event to any teenaged person, yet he was shocked that it had happened at this time. But he had one key thing on his mind. He did not want to give up this feeling at all. He knew in his heart that he had feelings for the girl. It would be completely out of his personality if he were to deny this grand scene.

He didn't fight back, he didn't want to. His nervous system went into autopilot as he wanted to savor this as much as possible. His arms slowly wrapped around her creamy, white skin. The kiss couldn't stand still, as the two bended their heads slightly. Their minds started to think as one as they stayed locked in this position for a while. Kaito's will couldn't fight against the great sensation consuming him. Patricia held on to the boy tightly than anyone in her entire life. Things became absolutely wonderful…it was a shame though that the boy would have to leave afterwards.

* * *

On a different side of the town though, many took their Sunday as a time of carefree relaxation. The days of work and school were on the horizon though, so the best thing to do was to make oneself presentable. In some particular houses, they would refer to grooming and cleaning themselves as a relaxing pastime. For one bespectacled fujoshi, this was clearly the case.

Hiyori rested her head against the ones of the several sides of her wooden bath. In a bathtub, she could reach harmony quite easily. The buoyancy of the water surrounding gave her a very comfortable feeling. Her hair was tied up in a rather large twist, doubling as a pillow for her head. It was good for an aspiring artist to be at peace before getting into a motivational groove.

Luck wasn't always on her side though. Her eyes burst open, as an inspirational siren went off in her brain.

"That would be a good piece of material…" She murmured to herself.

Moving her hand around, she landed her fingers on a pair of circular glasses. She placed them on her face trying to adjust to the change on her eyes. She quickly hovered around all sides of bath, not wanting to stop enjoying the bath, but still wanted to find something. Her face became consumed by worry, as she began staring around at every point in the bathroom. Hiyori did something very peculiar every since a few strange incidences.

"Where did I put that sketchbook?" She whined. "I knew I saved a sketchbook in here somewhere!"

She didn't want the moment to escape. She stood up trying to see if it were at a blind spot from her previous angle. Her eyes still shifted across the room, but to no avail. No piece of paper or even writing utensil was located in the bathroom. She groaned deeply, as she rested her petite figure back into the water. Her eyes felt heavy as she decided to place her legs on the side of the tub, instead of her head.

"Oh…it's such a brilliant scene. If only I had could write it down. It would be such a beauty to see!"

* * *

Despite the amount of emotion flooding from the apartment complex, the parking lot was filled with common irritation. Taichi, Ryuta, and Minoru waited by their car, doing various tasks to pass the time. The chubby one didn't have to worry about time, having a handheld system of his own. Shiraishi sighed as he looked at his watch while tapping his foot. Ryuta angrily shook his now growing green hair in rage.

"What's taking him so long!?" He shouted.

"I don't know." Minoru shrugged. "He's saying good bye."

"A goodbye doesn't take ten freaking minutes." He snarked.

"Maybe Patricia-san's making him do one more load of laundry before leaving." Taichi laughed.

Ryuta made a loud sigh. "We've moved all the boxes and all we are doing now is waiting on him. I'm going to go see what's happening."

Kaito's best friend stomped as he went back to the piece of infrastructure. He pressed the button in the elevator, with his anger building up with each passing floor. He knew that farewells were important to any big changes. However, it wasn't a good excuse to keep everyone waiting. For that long as well? He had no idea what was going on in that kid's head. He looked by all of the doors trying to remember Patricia's room number.

Each ascending number kept him in mystery. He thought that even though he was only there for two days, that he would remember a series of numbers. The main thing he recalled about her room was that it was located rather in the middle of the floor. Reaching the dead middle in a set of odd numbered rooms, he peered into the peephole. Even though he wanted to keep privacy, he was amazed at what he saw.

Patricia and Kaito were in a deep embrace with both of their faces close together. Even through the fisheye lens, Ryuta could see every movement they would make. He looked in awe as his friend tilted his head with the girl's movements. Their lips moved in tandem as they would grip against each other tightly. His mind was blown watching him kiss and caress that beautiful foreigner. He stepped away from the door with his eyes shaking around in his head.

"Holy…I have to tell the guys this." He said suddenly as he dashed away towards the elevator. "That is a good excuse."

Back in the room, the passion was still heavy in the air as the two couldn't let go of each other. The kiss had transpired but their minds weighed them down, not allowing them to separate. But the physical sensation of this moment felt natural. They couldn't release from the situation in a sudden matter. Their gender differences started kicking into high gear as they were still planted on each other.

"My first kiss…" Kaito thought. "I'm glad it was with someone meaningful. I'm surprised though that it feels this good. Do I do anything now though? If I crack and start spilling out emotions, it might get awkward. Can't go too physical either, that might make things turn sour. You really put me on the stand, Patricia."

"Kaito-kun." Patricia pondered. "I don't regret this. This is actually my first kiss, I feel obligated that I should share it with you. You've just been so wonderful to me in my time of need. You really have to leave me now? This moment is perfect…but I know it'll have to stop. It's kind of a shame though, it just feels so good. I'm so happy though that my moment was spent with you Kaito."

After enough time had passed, they released their lips. They still decided to keep their arms around each other, but now their faces were focused on each others' eyes. Her sapphire eyes started to really shine, while his brown eyes were beginning to turn amber. The emotional set up gave Kaito now the confidence to ask some serious questions. But his level of ecstasy kept his mood and voice at an all time high.

"How long have you been waiting to do that?" He asked.

"Uh…about one day." She said innocently.

He felt confused, but still responded in a playful tone. "What happened in those twenty-four hours?"

"I fiddled around with your laptop." She admitted.

His mind stunted. He thought that another otaku would respect his boundaries on his personal computer. Part of him wanted to yell, but he decided to shrug it off.

"Well…I guess it worked out for the best then." He smiled.

"Don't worry." She said. "Since you have to go back home, you won't have to deal with me spying on you anymore."

Kaito had a small chuckle. As he looked at her deeply, he remembered that reality had to set in. He gracefully took his arms off Patricia, putting his precious DS in his hands. He walked out slowly, remembering that he had to really remember this scene well. The first kiss of a boy is something to be treasured. Taking one last glimpse at her for the day, he did a wave near his head. The door shut briefly. The second it closed, Patricia smothered her futon as she was submersed in pure joy. Her mind was smitten as if every single item from Animate was dropped off at her house.

The teenager picked up the necessary two boxes to complete the move. As he walked towards the elevator, he knew that his friends would be mad. He didn't care though. His soul felt like it was soaring through the clouds. Repercussions were bound to happen too, but his male goals had been accomplished.

As the elevator stopped at the ground floor, he walked with pride towards his car. He felt a little odd though, noticing that his friends were strangely inside the car squeezed together with all the items. He knew there was room in the trunk, and the doors were unlocked, but he wasn't sure what to expect. Placing the boxes in his trunk, he popped into the driver seat. As he started up the engine, he adjusted the mirror to see his strangely smiling friends.

"So…we ready for some shabu-shabu?" He grinned.

"Oh, Kaito. You are a lucky man." Ryuta thought.

"Of course." Taichi and Minoru said, as their heads started thinking of the possibilities. They felt a little sorry that the oblivious Kaito. But what was revealed to them couldn't be contained for long.

* * *

After a quick drive, the four guys arrived at the restaurant for perfect shabu-shabu. They exited the car giving their limbs a quick stretch. When they entered the restaurant, they felt a little worried seeing that the place was completely packed on both sides. Some people sat around waiting for a table to open. There were a few open spots in the seating area though. The four of them approached the hostess.

"Hell there, party of four? Smoking or non-smoking?" She greeted.

"Can we get the first available?" Kaito asked.

"Right this way." She said.

The five walked towards one side of the room filled with several people. She led them into a comfortable booth filled with a lot of space. Each person had a separate black pot where their meat was to be cooked. Once they were position, a waitress had appeared to take their orders.

"Hello there. May I take your order?"

"I'll have an iced coffee." Ryuta asked.

"I'll have tea." Shiraishi said.

"Water."

"I'll have cold tea." Kaito said.

"Are you ready for your meals?"

Ryuta looked around everyone, thinking something very simple. "You guys all good with beef, right?"

"Yeah." They responded.

"Can I have an extra helping of beef?" Kaito said.

"Me too." Taichi said.

"Ok then, six orders of beef and vegetables…I'll be back in five minutes with your drinks and food. Thank you for your patronage."

"Thanks." They all said in unison. As they walked again, Minoru had to question Kaito's quick thinking.

"Why didn't you ask for a non-smoking section?"

"I'm not in the mood for waiting." He said responded honestly.

"What if one of us was sensitive to smoke?"

"Look around, I don't see anyone smoking." He said bluntly.

Minoru quickly opened his eyes and moved around each part of the room. Even though this part of restaurant was occupied, no one was smoking. He signed in defeat.

"So Kaito-kun, you feel like talking about anything?" Ryuta asked smugly.

"Not really. Today is a time to relax." Kaito said.

"Well…" Taichi said, wanting to say what he was heard. He quickly surrendered though seeing evil stares from his other two friends. "You are moving back with your parents. And we'll have to put all that stuff back in your new room. Do you think you'll have any trouble?"

"Maybe." He shrugged. "My dad may blow a gasket though learning about my new purchase. If we play anymore I can try inviting you all over, but it might be safest going to Ryuta's house."

"That'll be good." Ryuta nodded. "My house is spacious. My parents might find it silly to play a plastic set of drums, but it will be less noisy."

"I'm glad though we can take a break from all this moving." Minoru complained. "I hope we pay the people who do this stuff for a living good wages."

"At least the hard part of over now." Kaito said.

"Here are your drinks." The waitress said, putting them down. A second waitress came by holding a very large pitcher filled with extremely hot water pour into the black pots. The cooking water was ready. A third walked by carrying several plates of thinly sliced meat and various vegetables. After they were all placed on the table, a few small saucers came out carrying the special sauces that made all the food taste much better. There was barely any room left due to the extra plates needed.

"Please enjoy your meal!" The workers wished.

"Itadakimatsu!"

The four teenagers started cycling through the food in the necessary order. They started properly on a single slice of meat that they dropped into the boiling water. Within seconds the meat became thoroughly cooked. They carefully lifted the meat with their chopsticks to quickly dip it into their several sauces. As the meat finally descended into their mouths they made a satisfying chomp as they ate away at the food. A few of them quickly went to their drinks after chewing on the beef though.

"Oh…hot! Hot! But so good…" Taichi said.

"I really like the taste of ponzu. I should start putting it with other meats." Kaito said happily.

"I would of tried something like chicken, but that stuff is a bit more difficult to cook. Don't want to eat something overcooked." Ryuta said.

Kaito began dipping more beef into his broth, waiting for it to cook perfectly. This time he tried some of the cabbage and mushrooms that came with the meal.

"When you think about it, there haven't been any stories of people getting sick from eating here." Minoru thought out loud.

"Probably because most people are smart enough to cook everything thoroughly before eating it. I've never had that problem before." Ryuta said.

"Have you ever burned yourself eating here though?" Taichi said. "A few times I accidentally might of touched the water or swished some of the water onto my hand."

Even with a full mouth of beef, Kaito still looked on at his friend with disapproval. He merely finished consuming as he took a deep sip from his tea.

"How can you swish it around so hard that the water would come out?"

"Sometimes I might leave it in the water for too long, so I have to quickly take it out. And if I do it too fast, the meat works as a fan and gets some on me." Taichi admitted.

"I'd have to see that to believe it, Taichi-san." Minoru said kind of disappointed.

While Ryuta watched everything on in amusement, he was a bit surprised at Kaito. He was relaxing a little bit more than expected. He was sipping his tea slowly and savoring the meal. But after what happened in the apartment, it was strange he wasn't flaunting the news around to everyone. It was a glorious thing for him to behold. It wasn't like Patricia was someone to be ashamed about. The kiss was also looked incredibly heated and long. What was keeping him from talking about this at all? It felt like the only thing he could do was get Kaito to talk about it.

He made a grin, about to bring his friend's secret into society. "So Kaito, tell me."

"Hmm?" He said, turning his head.

"What was it like kissing Patricia-san?"

When those words escaped his lips, Kaito jumped in shock. Taichi and Minoru smiled as they looked on at the kid's outraged expression. He had no idea what Ryuta was doing when he went through that big passionate moment. He felt really stunned from his best friend's audacity. The only thing he could do was slam his hands on the table as he stared menacingly at his friend.

"How in the world did you see?!" He said.

"You took forever; I just took the look through the peephole. If you wanted to take the time to kiss her, you should have told me."

"He told us about it right after he saw it, Kaito-kun." Taichi said.

He groaned, resting his head on his fidgeting hands. Minoru felt a bit estranged over the situation.

"Isn't that what you wanted Kaito-san?" Minoru asked. "Didn't you want a girlfriend?"

He wanted a minute to explain himself. "Of course I did. Was I expecting that to happen though? No."

"That all happened today?" Ryuta said surprised.

"Yeah…"

"I guess I took a good time to spy on you."

"I'll be sure to remember that you like to eavesdrop on me." Kaito he said, disappointed. "Now the thing is, I'm just really surprised by all this. Don't get me wrong, I did want to be loved by someone. Patricia-chan is a wonderful person and a great kisser. I just thought I would get some more time to think this over before deciding someone."

"You've been hanging out with a ton of girls, haven't you?" Taichi asked.

"Yeah. But I thought they wouldn't admit their feelings to me. I thought I would have to admit their feelings to them. It's kind of odd how it ended up."

"So are you going to start loving Patricia-chan?" Minoru asked.

"I don't really know." He said. His friends looked at him confused. "You see while I do care for Patricia-chan a lot, I'm not exactly too sure how to handle this. I kind of want it, but at the same time I have so much other ground to cover."

"Like what?" Ryuta said.

"Here's the thing…since we've kissed now, I have to start getting used to other things. There's still everyone else I have to deal with. And even though Patricia cares for me, what if the other girls like me too? I'm going to have a really hard time picking up all these pieces. I don't want to hurt any of these ladies; they've been really nice to me. And now I have to worry about getting hated by them just because I have to choose one of them."

"Makes sense." Ryuta nodded. "You don't hear too much of the stuff that happens after a couple acknowledges each other."

Kaito started to rant. "That's why in visual novels, the arc instantly ends of the main guy kisses a girl. So he doesn't have to worry about the crap that comes in afterwards."

Taichi, being a veteran of the genre, scratched his chin as he went deep in thought. "That is the other big thing after you kiss someone. There's family, friends, social issues, acting out in public. There's a bigger environment than what happens in private and at school."

"That's another thing." Kaito looked sharply at his three friends. "You guys can't tell a soul about me and Patricia."

"Why's that?" Minoru said.

"I'll turn into the bad guy. It's simple as that. I need time to think all of this out before I jump to any conclusions. Not to mention that if word gets out that I wasn't living with Ryuta, we'll both be in deep trouble."

Ryuta panicked remembering that side of the story. "Gah…I can't let that happen. I just got my mom and dad's trust back!"

"I won't tell anyone. Me neither." Taichi and Minoru said.

"The biggest issue to me though, is which girl I go with. All of them are really good candidates, should I really just ignore everyone? What if this was just Patricia in a moment of passion?"

The other three decided to take a break from their meals to think everything out. Kaito had explained all of those wonderful ladies to them. They all appeared so appealing, yet there was the social standard of one lover per person. It was bound for all of them to find a special someone sooner or later, but this issue with Kaito was happening now. Minoru was the first to come to a conclusion.

"I think since you love Patricia, and Patricia loves you, you should just take the natural route and go with her." He deducted.

Taichi had an opposite view. "It feels like to me that Konata might be your best bet. You have a pretty great relationship with her and you are already accustomed to hanging out with her."

Kaito glanced at Ryuta, looking for his thoughts. He decided to speak honestly. "I think you should just go with whoever you think is the best. Or if you can convince them, get them all to love you. Best make them all happy, right?"

The boy in question lowered his eyes. "Boy, you guys sure are a lot of help."

* * *

There you go. Hope you enjoyed it.

At this point, I kind of like to parody and tease harem/drama animes a lot. You just have a ton of cliches in there that are ripe for the picking. I do plan for some future referencing. And just because what you've seen has happened, doesn't mean it's set in stone. Hope that'll keep everyone entertained for the time being.

Please Review, Critique, or Whatever.


	23. Sweet Little Woman, Get Along

Sorry for the late update guys. The 4th of July Holiday Weekend kind of blindsided me and kept my occupied. Didn't have too much time to work. This new chapter though should be refreshing for you guys since it isn't too long.

On a couple of small notes, the 6th Month Anniversary of my fic is near. Glad I've placed time in this story that gave given you readers such entertainment. I wanted to post on Kagami and Tsukasa's birthday, but sometimes things can get difficult. Oh well, I'm a procrastinator. The other note would be that I didn't expect to reference on particular song twice. Which one? Well...just think about this chapter and 21.

**Disclaimer:** Lucky Star is properity of Yoshimizu Kagami. Kaito is my original character tailor made for the story.

* * *

**Chapter 23: Sweet Little Woman, Get Along**

Several students of Ryōō High School were eating lunch and commuting as scheduled. After the recent influx of reality, many students saw this as a pleasing atmosphere. Unlike usual, however, many students were eating in the cafeteria than eating boxed lunches in their respected classrooms. The change in scenery would not affect most people. That was not the case for a few packs of teenagers huddled around their cheap tables.

Kaito sheepishly kept his head upright as he watched his female friends interact. Throughout their mundane conversation the only sounds he could hear were that of his fingers clacking against the plastic of the table. He moved them in a similar, descending pattern as he looked at them. It had only been a few minutes into lunch service and half of his purchased meal had been destroyed. The only one to take notice of this was Miyuki, who brought it to everyone's attention.

"Kaito-san, is something wrong?" She asked.

The boy's brain turned on hearing her gentle voice. "What? No, I'm fine." He said with his body language staying the same.

"Kaito-kun doesn't seem very fine…" Konata said, wagging her finger. "I can tell that because you are pressing against the table."

He grunted, from her attention to the smallest detail. He didn't want to really tell her about everything yesterday, so he wanted to shake off any possible issues.

"Oh. That?" Kaito commented on his gesture. He lifted his hand up continuing the repeated movement. "Uh, _fret fingers_." He said.

"Fret fingers?" Tsukasa questioned.

"When you play a rhythm game for really long, you start to memorize the patterns in your head. I was thinking of the song so my fingers were moving to some parts in the game."

"That's odd." Kagami said. "When I played that game, that kind of thing never happened to me."

"You've never played a single game for months though, have you Kagami?" He responded.

"Well…no." The twin-tailed girl said, twirling her hair. "I guess that might happen."

"Wow. I can't believe I got away with that. I'm going to have to start blaming more things on video games." Kaito thought.

"While that might be true," Konata began. "That still would not explain how you were like that all this morning. You were late for class and you clearly had trouble staying awake. Clearly something had to of happened."

"Curse you Konata!" Kaito's mind screamed.

"If she were to notice that, you think she would stop doing those kinds of things…" Kagami thought.

"Well I have had some problems lately." Kaito said. "My house is finally fixed up now so I'm moved back in yesterday. Unfortunately that means I had to move boxes from Patricia's apartment, to my car, to my house. Then when I got my items to the house, I had to completely set everything back up in my room as if it was previously. And just as you think I would be done, my parents called me in to help them with everything in the house. They are electronically illiterate for the most part."

"All parents should learn to use a computer." Konata agreed.

"So your muscles are sore?" Tsukasa commented.

"Yeah." Kaito groaned.

"You own a lot of things right?" Kagami stated. "Maybe if you ever have to move, you should take fewer items so the load will be lighter."

"You can't separate a man from his gaming consoles, Kagamin." Konata snipped.

"I have my casual system, portable system and my serious system that plays DVDs. Then there's my decent game library filled with specific controllers in case I get bored. I brought along all my manga because I can't really leave it with anyone else and it's a good way to pass time. My laptop was also essential for work, and I had to take a ton of other things to make it fully function. Then of course, there are the clothes, hygienic items, medicines, and my cell phone." He stared at Kagami. "Without any of those things, I can't function."

"You are too materialistic." The tsundere said, bitterly.

Miyuki took this time to make a suggestion. "Perhaps you should own more things that can serve two purposes. Like you could use your stacks of manga as a place to hold your clothes."

"Admirable, Miyuki-san." The boy said. "I still use my boxes for that though. Not to mention that a large stack could mean my demise."

"You can use your things though to work as a table, right?" Tsukasa brought up.

"Using something as unstable as books to hold up things wouldn't end well. Plus I might stain all of them with a liquid." Kaito said.

"The best way to micromanagement is to try to keep your important things all focused around one item." The small otaku said. "That's why people often keep all their keys in the same bowl. Or why businessmen keep everything in their briefcase."

Gears slowly began to turn in Kaito's head. "Ah…so if I were a holy man who had to carry around a large cross, I would want to keep a missile launcher inside of it to ward away my enemies!"

Konata nodded. "Exactly. Or if you kept a small one around your neck, it could double as a knife." Kagami looked away, seeing as they were a hopeless case. Tsukasa looked frightened as such religious icons could be used as dangerous weapons.

While Miyuki enjoyed the conversation, she looked back at her purchase of ramen. It stopped emitting steam, so she worried that the food had turned cold. As she placed her chopsticks in the broth, she slowly swished away trying to get as many noodles as possible. She slowly directed them towards her mouth. However the deceiving appearance of the food got to her, as she burned her tongue from the temperature of the ramen. She quickly moved her food back to its original place.

"Owwie." Miyuki squirmed.

"What's wrong Miyuki-chan?"

She extended out her tongue that barely escaped her lips. Her speech sounded muffled from the circumstances. "I burnt my tongue on the ramen. I didn't take the heat into consideration."

"Hate it when that happens." Kaito said. "Your tongue stays burnt so things won't taste better than when you tried it."

"Oooh!" Konata perked up, thinking to herself. "Such a moé example of Miyuki-san's character. I'm going to have to take note of more things like that…"

She decided to speak as she looked on. "Tsukasa, you should eat your ramen before it gets cold."

"Oh! Thanks, Kona-chan! That's a good idea." The younger sister nodded as she grabbed onto her chopsticks. From that small action, Konata was given two opposite looks from her words. The older twin glared as her sister was so easily persuaded, while Kaito grinned.

* * *

After a few hours some students were taking a break in the hallway to prepare for their last class of the day. It started to become rather crowded, especially in the first floor of the school where several intelligent students entered into Ryōō. Patricia and Hiyori waited patiently outside their classroom waiting for their small friend to return. The bespectacled fujoshi couldn't help but noticed the gaijin's elevated mood.

"Patty-chan, you are in a good mood." Hiyori commented.

"Nothing makes you feel better than a day like this, Hiyorin." She said sweetly.

The meganekko did a double take to her statement. "This isn't because Minami-chan is absent, is it?"

Patricia made a pouted face from that response. "Of course not. I was just thinking about a recent bonus that happened to me over the weekend."

"Did you get a pay raise for your job?" She asked.

"Nope." Before she continued, she leaned in towards Hiyori. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course."

She backed away, wrapping her arms around her body. "Me and Kaito-kun kissed."

Hiyori's mind tried to fully comprehend that statement. He jaw was wide opened as if her parents stumbled upon the D Drive of her computer. That boy and her best friend are now in love? It felt so confusing; he didn't seem like the type that needed a romantic relationship. Not to mention that he didn't even meet the two students until much later. She felt a bit flustered knowing this information, but tried to remain cool.

"Well…well I guess that it's good that you two are a couple now. Are you sure it's official?"

She scratched her head as she responded. "When I planted a kiss on him he didn't seem to have a problem with it. In fact he slowly seemed to get into it as he hugged me back." Her minded drifted into ecstasy. "That kiss was absolutely great as we held each other tight in my apartment."

The mangaka kept her thoughts to herself hearing that. "Should have expected she would be the one moving on him than the other way around. At least Patty-chan's headstrong attitude came in through for her for once. Good thing Kaito is a nice guy or I may interfere."

Hiyori spoke her next words. "I'm happy for you."

Patricia giggled. "Thanks Hiyorin."

"Though I think it's a good thing you are keeping this a secret."

"Why's that?" The foreigner asked.

"Eh…we Japanese feel a bit awkward around public romance, especially in high school. I don't think you or Kaito-kun would last for very long if all of this were to be made public. So I don't think you should try anything like kissing or hugging him. And that also includes things like bento giving."

She made a frown as she looked down. "Well that's not fun at all."

"I know." She said. "But at least he can go to your house if you two ever want to be romantic."

"Oh, Hiyorin." She giggled.

"Speaking of which…" Hiyori said, with a small shimmer coming from the rim of her glasses.

"What's that?"

"Since you two and Kaito-kun are official now…you wouldn't mind doing some poses for me, would you?"

"Poses?" She said, surprised.

"Well I was thinking. If I want to be the best doujin artist I can be, I'm going to need some real life references in order to get an edge on my competition. And since you both have intensely read my work and have no problem with it, I think you two should definitely do it."

"I don't know…" She pondered.

"You can look at this as payment. For spying on my works in progress." She smirked.

"I suppose I can do it…if Kaito-kun is willing to do it."

"That's the spirit!" She cheered, as Patricia made a weak smile.

Unknown to the two otaku girls, Yutaka slowly walked towards them as she came back from the bathroom. There was little time now to get back into the classroom, so she wanted to make sure everyone would make it in time. Her day had felt a little down with the absence of her tall guardian. However, she didn't know about the transaction between her two devious friends.

Hiyori gave Patricia an extra pat on the back as they entered in the classroom. "It's good to know that you are with Kaito-kun. I wish the best!"

As they entered in the classroom, the only one left there was a poor, bewildered Yutaka. All suppressed thoughts of that boy shot straight up into her brain. The recent knowledge she had just heard started to simmer in her naïve brain. What could this all mean?

"Yasuhiro-kun…and Patty-chan? Together? Oh no…this is terrible!" She thought, as her pigtails swung around frantically. "I don't believe she should be that close to someone who is selfish like him. I know that he doesn't like Minami-chan, but why is he targeting Patty-chan? Does he want to steal away my friends? Since I am Minami-chan's best friend, does he want to make her unhappy?"

Her closed fists soon clenched as she her eyes became slanted. "Not this time. Yasuhiro is not going to get away with this!"

* * *

"What the hell?!"

A cute voice screamed at a different section of the school. For several of the students, the last period was the best time for all clubs to meet together. One club gathered outside by the gym in order to discuss their plans. But due to certain problems, they were stuck outside. The track and field club did spend most of their time outdoors, but on a day like this they were not looking forward to it. In their bloomers they huddled together to find out what was the issue.

"What do you mean we can't use the gymnasium? That's where we exercise!" One girl in the club spoke out.

"Don't get so upset, Kusakabe-san." A boy said. "The music club is currently taking up the gymnasium in order to practice for their upcoming recital."

"What?" She responded.

"The music club nearly doubles us in size, so they were allowed custody to gym. They can get really loud, so maybe its good they use this room since it's so spacious and away from everyone else."

Misao continued to complain. "Why aren't they using one of the auditoriums? That's where they usually set up everything."

Another member spoke up to explain it. "The auditoriums are currently being occupied by the debate club and the language clubs. They have just as many members, but the space in the auditoriums is smaller than that of the gyms."

"They can't use their classrooms?" She said sarcastically.

"Classrooms are only taken up by incredibly small clubs or the Student Council. If they want to really create things, they have to use a bigger space."

"That's not fair though!" Misao said. "The Judo and Kendo halls have their own dojos. Every other sport has a respectable field to play on. But since we are done with the sports festival, we don't need to do any more training! That's why we use the gymnasium."

One student agreed with the girl. "Tell me about it. Certain clubs like art, calligraphy and book discussion get their own rooms for work. It's not like you can't do that in your own desk."

"I heard that the Animation Research club may get their own room."

"What?!"

"Yeah, the treasurer of the Student Council is also in the Animation Research club. Good chance they are getting a new workspace soon. With computers and everything!"

That was the last straw on the tanned girl's back. Her fang appeared sharper than ever as she looked angrily at the school. A crucial, physical club like this shouldn't have been denied access to something as obvious as a gym. She started to stomp as she started moving towards the back entrance of the large building. Some of the students had to know what was going to happen.

"Where are you going Kusakabe-chan?"

"I'm going to give those musical pansies a piece of my mind!" She said as the door soon closed. Several sweat drops formed around the heads of the other members.

"This isn't going to end very well." One student said.

"Should we of made her one of the more important members?"

* * *

On the ringing bell students began pouring out all exits of the high school. Several teenagers gathered around the various bus stops around the area. One path was particularly lined up with students of various sizes. Some of the teenagers began talking now, as they wouldn't meet up again until tomorrow. Their carefree attitudes peaked as they began explaining things to do later.

"Mmm…can't wait to get home." Konata stretched.

"New releases today, Kona-chan?" Tsukasa asked.

"Better. New content was released for my online game today, so I shall be playing nonstop!"

"If you play nonstop, don't bug us if Kuroi-sensei punches you in class again." Kagami said in a deadpan tone.

"I know that feeling Kona-chan." Kaito agreed. He looked at his right forearm, which started to move around even as he held it near his face. "You could say that my hand is possessed, and is in dire need of game time."

"We could all use a little bit of game time." Konata nodded.

"I can't wait to get home and…" Tsukasa began, before getting stared at by her sister. "Start doing homework so I can do more things at night." Her voice became shaky after remembering her grades.

At this time the bus slowly reached its appropriate stop, allowing the door to open and pistons to release. Students began flooding into the bus in order to get a good seat, so they wouldn't have to stand. A few of girls at 3-C started to walk in, but stopped as they noticed something strange.

"Not getting on Kaito-kun?" Tsukasa asked.

"I'm going to take the train today." He said.

"Oy, so why'd you decide to stay with us?" Kagami said.

"Shouldn't you spend every moment with your friends before you leave?" Kaito responded. The tsundere blushed, feeling a bit guilty. She quickly moved in to find a seat.

"Tired?" Konata said.

"Yeah, I bet I have to do more things at home, so I guess I'll just take that way that takes the longest. It's a more relaxing ride anyway and I may stop for a few personal items."

He made a gentle wave at them as the bus went back into motion. As they boy walked in a different direction as the vehicle's destination, he was being followed. With his brisk moment he couldn't hear the light sounds of Yutaka's feet as she trailed him. She didn't want to talk to him now, but in a less public area. Inside the bus, as the girls' moved towards their traditional back seat, they noticed a small blur of salmon pink on the sidewalk.

"Isn't that Yu-chan?" Tsukasa said.

"What do you think she's doing?" The older twin asked.

"Probably off to go see Minami-san. She was absent today."

* * *

Around the train station, Kaito walked by several ticket holders as he wandered around the area. It had been ages since he had last taken a train back home, so he wanted to see all the various changes that had been made. There were many more commercial outlets than usual for people to kill their time before going. While Kaito was having a peaceful time, Yutaka was perusing her target to the best of her ability.

"I have to know what you are planning Yasuhiro!" She squeaked as she tried not to bump into many of the citizens.

Kaito made a small stop, seeing a nice novelty store on his way to the trains. He looked at his watch and the time for his train to depart, smiling seeing that there was some time to browse. His route took a small detour into the shop to see what kind of items were there. Yutaka noticed this, moving against the side of the wall. She peaked through the large glass window to see what he was doing without him noticing her.

It was a bit of a small shop though, mostly offering up figurines and many miscellaneous paraphernalia. Everything seemed to be lined up alphabetically no matter what the item was. He looked at one side of the store looking at a small selection of light novels and other things that they may have offered. His interest peaked on a small pair of cubes. He picked them up and spun them slowly, looking at the icons of apples and fox tails.

"Fox die…" He mumbled to himself.

Kaito put the items down, not necessarily needing dice for anything in particular. His money was already scarce enough. Not too far from the dice though was a nice selection of models from one particular series. He looked in awe of one in particular that had a very polished looks. Trying not to knock over any CDs or figurines, he picked up the rather large box and inspected it

It was a beautiful hybrid of green and grey. The massive scale of it gave great detail to its various armaments. He was very impressed in particular with its magnetic railgun, looking to be nearly thirty centimeters in length. The legs were perfectly proportioned, as well as its small holders for missiles, cannons, and lasers. Kaito tilted it gently, trying to find a price tag on it. When he found it though, he immediately moved it back onto the shelf from when it came.

"6500 Yen? No thanks." He grumbled as he exited the room.

As he moved, Yutaka jumped into the shadows hoping she wasn't noticed. He returned to the center, while she remained to the side in order to become better concealed.

With a few minutes left to go, Kaito was ready to board. Once again those, his frantic gamer mind became sidetracked by his senses. This time however, from his sense of smell. His head turned to see a small taiyaki stand taking sheets of the beloved pastry out of a small oven. His stomach immediately took notice of this, making a decent sized growl at the food. Grabbing a food wouldn't take any time at all. Not to mention the stand also sold newspapers to read. He walked up appropriately.

"Excuse me, could I have a taiyaki and a newspaper?"

"Of course. 300 Yen please."

The boy fished out three coins from his pocket and handed them to the employee. He appropriately handed over the concoction along with the newspaper.

"Thank you." Kaito said.

"It's my pleasure." The merchant said.

As he was given the food, the boy quickly moved towards the side of the train station amongst the shadows. Yutaka panicked seeing his quick moments. She decided to hide in a very peculiar location, hoping she wasn't noticed by the person she was trailing. He put the pillar against his back as he looked against the wall. He held his taiyaki near his face as he looked at in with intensity.

"I don't care if it's hot or yeasty, best I eat this now. Better do it here so I don't disgust anyone."

Kaito dug face first into the food, trying to devour it quickly. Strangely though, he ate through the middle instead of starting from the head or tail. Red goo quickly began seeping from its exterior. As fast as he had ordered it, it all went into his stomach as he sighed contently. He took the steamy napkin and wiped it by his face, making sure no sweet bean paste had stuck on him. As he was looking for a trash can to throw it away, he noticed something kind of off.

"A box?" He said puzzled.

Before him was a strangely large cardboard box. It felt off to have such a large thing in a train station, especially since the other shops were a bit far away. Assuming it was a thing of storage, he gave it a slight kick. It made a slight movement, but he continued to look on with apathy. He simply walked back towards the train. Someone must have forgotten about it when they were delivering things.

Hearing those footsteps slip away, Yutaka moved the box upright. Her hands were closed over her mouth as tears started to form around her eyes. She couldn't believe what had happened. He tried to kick her? No way would he get away with this. She moved back into the crowd though. They were coming by the train that led to their houses.

Passing the turnstile, Kaito walked into the crowded train without problems. He tried to find a seat amongst other students and passengers. After a quick glance at the clock, he decided to travel to the extra section of the train that was more desolate. Just as he exited his current section, Yutaka entered in, looking for the boy. She closed up to him as she looked at the back of his school uniform.

The small girl had a harder time getting through the people standing in the train. Once she got out of it, Kaito was already in a different section. He sat down, opening up his newspaper to read deeper into the headlining stories. Yutaka took notice that the room he was in was completely empty aside from the himself. She approached him slowly, trying not to gain any of his attention. However in her heated moment, she made a crucial mistake.

Her precious cell phone descended from her pocket and hit the ground. The small shockwave from the metal contact echoed to other parts of the train. Kaito's senses perked up as he turned his head toward the direction of the sound. In panic, Yutaka tried to hide under the seats so she wouldn't be noticed. He still felt a bit perplexed hearing that since he was the only one in that section.

"What was that noise?" He exclaimed.

He returned to his paper not seeing anything on either side. Yutaka perked back up from under the metal to see that he was focused back on his scripture. She felt confidence build back up inside her, knowing everything that she would say to the boy. The doors slid open and she stood by the boy, ready to talk. But even with her standing right in front of him, her small stature was completely overshadowed by newspaper. She wouldn't go unnoticed.

"Yasuhiro Kaito!" She shouted.

Unaffected, Kaito lowered his newspaper to see the screamer. His façade stayed content as he looked on at the trembling girl.

"Oh, Yu-chan. How's it going?"

Little did he know what he was going to experience…

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed that. I hope you guys also caught onto some of the references I made in the chapter.

Now I know what you guys are thinking on this chapter, but don't worry about this whole Yutaka situation. It'll resolve quickly and light-heartedly. I think she generally has a bit of an unhealthy obsession with Minami, so that's what I took into play with this. If it pleases you guys though, I have no more qualms about Minami anymore.

Please Review!


	24. Silly Talks

Sorry being late guys. I feel kind of unsettled about this chapter since I turned it in so late to you all. This chapter got seriously retooled though than I expected. And even though I've planned out the first scene for a rather long time, it came out rather slow. The second scene however has a rather interesting reference, so you win an internet if you catch it. When I think about it, you can win one for any you get for this chapter. I got the idea looking over the titles of several of the new fics. Anyway, please enjoy!

Edit: Now I'm learning how much and the Opera Browser hate each other. It's really getting annoying, so I apologize for any inconvenience. Line Breaks and Italics are driving me insane. --

**Disclaimer:** Lucky Star is property of Yoshimizu Kagami and Kyoto Animation.

* * *

****

Chapter 24: Silly Talks

Kaito laid listlessly on the cafeteria table as the rest of his student body moved like clockwork. The physical and mental strains of life began cutting off the blood flow to the left side of his brain. Several miscalculations had led him to a very down-trotted state of mind. He attempted to raise his body up like a zombie, but the blinding white light of the sun immediately made him recluse to his original position. His friends couldn't help but notice his simple struggle to sit up straight.

"Stay awake all night again, Kaito-san?" Minoru sighed.

He lifted his head towards his friends while keeping his chin glued to the table. His eyes were closed, trying to get used to the illumination. "How'd you know?"

His classmate shifted his eyes away from the cad response. "The things you can do can easily do after school, not late at night when everyone else is sleeping."

Ryuta came to his friend's defense. "We get so much work though that it's natural to do anything you really want to at night."

"I know!" Taichi groaned. "I stay up all the time to get my work done, but I will always go to sleep when I get finished."

"Yes, but that's because you screw around when you get home." Shiraishi said.

"True…but usually when Kaito stays awake like this, he's usually in a happier mood." They turned to him. "Anything happen to you?"

Kaito's eyes straightened as he recalled everything that occurred this week. The sheer amount of things he saw were enough to make anyone go blind. He scratched his forehead as he tried to return his consciousness to normal. There were two constants factors that happened throughout the week, but yesterday felt like the climax of every event combined. He decided to start with the topic subjects before moving to anything personal.

"Well, I've been thinking about my situation with Patricia-chan." He said groggily.

"That's good." Ryuta nodded.

"I decided that the best thing to do is look at other people in my situation and see what the best course of action to take was." He began. "Unfortunately I can't find anyone in real life that was born under that kind of moon. So anime was the only thing I could look at for a reference."

While his two friends nodded, Minoru put his hand over his face in disappointment.

"So I began watching this drama series." Kaito explained. "I started with the most recent one I could think of, you know, that one with the OVA?"

"Oh, that one." Ryuta said.

"Yeah." Kaito nodded. "So I started watching it and I didn't think much of it but then as it started progressing I couldn't stop. But they just kept dragging me in. Every episode ended on a potential cliffhanger and just left you wanting for more. And even though it was a drama I connected with the characters really well and it made me chuckle of few times."

"It does have a decent amount of comic relief." Taichi nodded.

"Now I thought I would stop through halfway. But here's the problem, the first two arcs are just so incredibly powerful and moving…" He confessed as he began covering his eyes.

"Did you cry, Kaito-san?" Shiraishi said with new found interest.

"Yes…" He admitted, but he instantly perked up his words. "But I couldn't help it! Even though that first arc didn't make a lot of sense and it was a bit too over the top, I had to cry! You just had to feel for that girl just because she was so cute and she tried so hard!"

Taichi wiped along the ends of his eyes. "I know. That's why she's my favorite of the five. Or six really…"

"Now when they moved on to the second arc, I wasn't thinking too much of it." Kaito said. "When you see one quiet girl, you've seen them all. But she really surpassed my expectations. She was caring and sweet, and even though she was a quiet girl she worked on trying to better herself and socialize with everyone. And the bond she had with the protagonist felt really genuine."

"She also fell under the category of childhood friend, right?" Minoru brought up.

"She was. That's just why I see her above all the other girls because she's so gorgeous yet she's so pure and kind. It was a real touching arc."

"That one got to me too." Ryuta said.

"But after that things just got a bit iffy." Kaito said, with his energy restored. He threw his arms into the air. "I grew really attached to everyone, so at this point whatever happened I thought I could get into. But no…it felt like the tsundere and the perfect girl really got shafted when it came to their arcs. What were they, two episodes a piece? It's just unfair because I know that they have tons of fans."

"I really like the tsundere myself." Ryuta said.

"So you have to wonder why does he have end up with that girl." He whined.

"Well, let's face it." Taichi said. "She was the one the boy met first. Writers don't want to break that tradition."

"I know…" The conflicted teenager said. "It's just that she's so weak in compared to the rest of them. She loves him, but they all kind of did. She's just not that special and she didn't even have really good character quality. Her parents were much more interesting and entertaining. This wasn't a tragedy or anything. And don't you think it's your own fault if you stay out in the snow when you house is three meters away from your house?"

"You talk so negatively about her." Minoru wondered.

"She just wasn't that special. We've seen girls like her in shows before; she just didn't have that great of appeal." Kaito said. He snapped his finger, thinking of a very important factor. "Do you think that later down the line, she would even be that great of a mom?"

The bespectacled kid began scratching his moss green hair. "When you think about it, she would be very nurturing. Child birth would however be just out of the question."

"Another issue I have with her is that she has a strange trend a bunch of other characters do. Many short and young girls have this life threatening disease that has haunted them forever. What doesn't make sense to me if that why can't they ever just say what the disease is!? It always looks like they have a fever, but if it's more serious, they should say that it's something big. There are plenty of diseases out there!"

At that point, the depression that was extracted out of Kaito leaked to the rest of his friends. While he had seen a few pictures, many of the conversations had flown over Minoru's head. Taichi and Ryuta started to remember all the dramatic things about the series. The tragedy started to bring them down to hiding their faces on the tables. Minoru decided to get their minds off the subject.

"You think we can talk about something else?" He said.

Kaito looked at his best friend. "Ok then. Ryuta, have you looked at any of those songs I've asked you to look at?"

"Oh, those ones that are in the Rock Band game? Yeah, I downloaded them."

"Do you think I'll be able to play them?"

Ryuta nodded. "Of course. I haven't checked out an actual videos but I can hear it in all of them. I hope that any future drum sets we get won't crumble to pieces when I play them though."

"It's kind of odd the pedal broke when we tried out." Taichi mentioned.

"I looked up a few ways to keep the things running longer." Kaito said.

"As long as the drums stand, I'll be able to play all those insane patterns." Ryuta said.

Minoru smiled seeing his friends turn back to normality. As normal as their obsessive minds could be. He stretched his back as he looked around the rest of his student body eating lunch. Yet as he came to the hallway where the students would go in and out, something seemed off. He sharpened his eyes towards the small windows on the doors. In a quick moment, there was a flash of red.

Taichi took notice of this. "Something wrong Shiraishi-san?"

"I could of sworn I saw someone…" He mumbled.

Kaito's eyes darted towards him. "Who?!" He said with unknown force.

"I couldn't tell." He defended himself.

"Someone has been following you, Kaito-kun?" Ryuta asked.

"Not just anyone…" He groaned. "And for a whole week."

* * *

Kaito was waiting for the bus as usual. His mind was calm as there was plenty of time to relax and wait for everyone else to appear. It really felt like a clear day unlike all the others. The things that happened the previous week were so uplifting, he couldn't help but smile. As he remembered something, he pulled out his cell phone and began to tinker around with it.

"_You see, Kona-chan has this cousin."_ He narrated. _"Even though she goes to Ryoo, she's extremely tiny and rather naïve for someone of her age. Yet that didn't stop her from focusing on me all week."_

"Yasuhiro Kaito!" A small voice shouted from not too far away.

Kaito's eyes shifted towards her as he didn't want this to continue.

"What do you need, Yu-chan." He said, unamused.

"You know what I want to talk about!" She said in a rather pouting tone. "I can't believe that you are trying to make Minami-chan into a miserable person by taking away everyone precious to her!"

Kaito made a pause at the statement, trying to grasp any logic in it. "What?"

"Just because you don't like Minami-chan, that doesn't mean you have to make to any of us unhappy!"

"I'm not trying to at all…"

"But that's because you don't understand the truth! Minami-chan is an incredibly kind and caring person! And because you don't like her, you are trying to take away all of her wonderful qualities!"

"What wonderful qualities…" He thought.

"Don't you understand that by dating Patty-chan that you are ruining the bonds of our friendship!? You are making everything worse for all of us!"

_"It's like trying to argue with toddler. And what's irritating is that she's been rather persistent with this."_

_

* * *

_

_"When I leave school, she's there. She will follow me too."_

"Yasuhiro-baka! By hating Minami-chan you are making everyone's life miserable!"

_

* * *

_

_"Let's not forget that if I ever want to hang out with you guys or go shopping, she'll get out of the house just to harass me."_

"Why must you spend so much time with Onee-chan, Patty-chan and Tamura-san!? Just because they are special doesn't mean you can look down on the feelings of everyone else!"

"Ugh…" He groaned.

_

* * *

_

"It's just so mind bending!" Kaito whined. "I don't think I'll last much longer…"

"Dude, why can't you just yell at her?" Taichi said dryly.

"Listen." Kaito said, with his pupils directly pointed at Taichi, trying to find a brain in that giant head of his. "A girl that small and that prone to sickness can not be yelled at by someone like me. If I yell at her even about the slightest thing, I know for a fact she's either going to get sick or burst into tears. Even though it makes logical sense for me to scream at her, everyone is going to look at me as the bad guy for doing this."

"Is she really that tiny?" Ryuta said dumbfounded.

"It's hard to believe, but she is smaller than Izumi."

"And she's in our school?" Shiraishi asked.

"Yeah. I find it odd, because I could easily peg her for being ten or twelve."

His best friend signed, seeing this issue. "I can see when you are coming from with this Kaito-kun. It's kind of like when you see those police stories of when a child does something really badly, so they have to blame the adults for everything. Even though they question the entire family, the child's psyche is never really looked upon."

"I don't really know what to do though." Kaito said. "If she's willing to follow me so diligently for a week, how long does she think she'll keep this up?"

Ryuta placed his hand on the chestnut-haired boy's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Kaito-kun. I'll go with you on the train. If she gives you any trouble, I can do something to get her away from you. There's no point in threatening yours and Patricia-san's relationship. If she hates me, I won't care cause I just know I'll be defending you."

He was overcome by the kindness of his friend. "Thank you, Ryuta-kun."

As he said that, the friend slowly adjusted his glasses by pushing them up with the palm of his hand. A quick sheen went across the glass as he spoke. "Now you do know that this falls into our you-owe-me-I-owe-you bank, right?"

"Of course, of course." Kaito dismissed.

* * *

In the Izumi household, Konata sat limp on her couch as she gazed away at the television. She was watching a comedy performed by real actors who were explain the seriousness of a situation to several people in a crowded room. As the gasps echoed from the television, she wiggled around trying to find the best position to rest. This proved difficult though as she was lying on her hair instead of letting it go over the arm of the couch. She didn't want to accidentally pull on something. She signed, realizing that this was one of the few flaws in having incredibly long hair.

Today felt rather lazy as she breezed through school. Things were slow like most of the other days. Kagami ranted at her about homework, Tsukasa tripped over her shoelaces, and Miyuki was moé and perfect as usual. The only thing left to do was wait for tomorrow. Yu-chan had been confined to her room for the past couple of days, so there was no one to talk to. Her dad was rather busy with typing up a new idea that came to him a week ago.

While her eyes were focused, her ears were alerted by a far too familiar sound. The thunderous sounds of footsteps were rushing towards the door. She knew what was about to occur, but she just tilted her head and smiled.

The door burst opened, causing the house to shockwave as it hit the wall.

"Yahoo!" The voice shouted.

"Oh, Nee-san, evening."

She turned her head to see what Konata was doing. "What you watching?"

"Just a silly comedy sketch show." She said. Yui gazed on at the tv as several things occurred. The lights went black as the entire room gasped in shot. The following sounds of a scream and gunshot followed. A cop is found on the chair with a bottle in his hand, an arrow through his neck, and a bullet in his head. One of the spectators watched on in agony and interest.

"By jove, he was right!"

At that moment, another cop came through wearing a trench coat. He spoke quickly. "This house is surrounded. I must ask that no-one leave the room. I'm Chief Superintendent Lookout."

"Look out?" A woman asked.

"What?! Where?!" The cop said panicked.

Yui smiled from the infectious wit of the show. "Oh, I wish my job could be more hilarious like that."

"Do you see a lot of tragedies, Yui-san?" Konata asked.

"It's not that…" The meganekko sighed. "It's just that when I became a cop I didn't expect for it to be really, really boring. Would you believe that even though I'm a standard traffic cop, I have to do a ton of paper work?"

"You have paperwork to do?"

"Basically I have to fill out some standard form whenever someone breaks the law. It's kind of like whenever a kid gets in trouble at school, they have to write up a slip explaining what they did."

"Is that it?"

She groaned. "No...a bigger law broken results in more paperwork to do. If there were a car chase I would have to explain basically every reason why this person committed the crime and what they did. And after we write it up, it gets sent to court. It has to go through a very long process to prove if it's right. Then a secretary files it and we keep it until it comes up again."

"Sounds tedious." Konata said.

"It is, but it's the foundation of justice!" She said triumphantly. Her happiness sagged though thinking about all the work she did. "But it's so boring!"

"I guess your passion fades after a while, eh?" Konata thought, as she scratched her face.

"I haven't even had a funny or action packed story to tell around the veterans..." She groaned.

As she was prepared to rant on about her work, she was alerted by the vibration of her police pager. She looked at the skinny, digital screen as the letters slowly moved across it. Her eyes widened as her pupils reflected the exact words that went across it. She quickly went out the door and into her car. Konata showed so interest, rarely seeing in Yui at that serious peak. She walked outside, seeing Yui already getting strapped into her driver seat.

"Uh...nee-san? Something happen?" She cautiously said.

"Duty calls." She said in gruff tone. Her mood perked up again as she looked at Konata's face. "I'll be sure to see Yu-chan and Sojiro tomorrow."

In the blink of an eye, the blue car skewed out of the driveway and off towards the open road. In that quick burst of speed, Konata could feel a slight shockwave go across her lawn. She looked skeptically as a blue dot curved towards a different side of road. Even if it were for her job, she didn't want her cousin to get in trouble for speeding.

* * *

The following day, Kaito and Ryuta walked from the school towards the train station ready to go home. The bespectacled teenager had a very normal day, while Kaito looked absolutely abysmal. His mind and speech was incredibly swampy from his staggering fatigue. Ryuta wanted to help him out since his situation appeared rather critical. And after getting a glimpse of that girl that was following him, he realized that it would be tricky to deal with her.

"Thanks for going home with me Ryuta-kun." Kaito said.

"It's no problem. I just have to wait an extra stop on the train and then I can walk home with no problems."

He gripped his hands closely. "I'm at my width's end with this whole situation. I just know I'm going to slip up and say something stupid."

"I personally think you are looking to much into the situation. Don't you think Konata will still like you even if you yell at her tiny cousin?"

"She probably will...but I don't know. I feel like I shouldn't risk it if I end up smashing that girl's sense in reality. It's like when you find out Santa Claus isn't real...you really don't want to tell the kids because that'll turn you into the bad guy."

"I guess I can understand it from that point of view." Ryuta said.

Before getting on the train, they made a quick stop at a similar stand. Kaito took a newspaper in order to read. In the occurrence of Yutaka coming to yell away at him, at least he didn't have to deal with looking at her. Ryuta decided to make Kaito feel happier by scrolling through some of the songs for that video game on his mp3 player. The more he got his mind off the situation, the better he would feel.

They passed the turnstile and decided to move to a very empty part of the train. They sat across from each other as the train began to set into motion. Ryuta rested his back peacefully into the chair as he listened to the songs blasting away, be it they sounded violent. Kaito popped his paper open as he looked at some of articles into it. One of them looking kind of familiar, but before he could dive himself into it...

"Yasuhiro-baka!" A voice squeaked.

Kaito lowered a section of his newspaper along with his eyebrows. He did not want to deal with that super deformed girl any longer. He tried to act peaceful over the situation, hoping she ran out of steam. "Hi Yutaka."

"Don't ignore me!" She started. "Why can't you just tell me why you hate Minami-chan!"

He tried to debate back. "I don't hate Iwasaki. I don't know her personally. I just find it a bit odd that she's incredibly quiet when nothing is really wrong with her."

"You are very, very mistaken! Minami-chan is the most open and caring person I know! She wouldn't keep anything away from me!"

Ryuta squirmed, hearing something get in the way of his tunes. As he opened his eyes, he saw the little girl pout away while her pigtails sprung in the air. He slowly turned down the volume so he could hear the conversation better.

"Oh, come on now." Kaito thought.

"Why do you have to hate what you don't understand?! Just because you don't like Minami-chan, that doesn't mean you should make us all suffer by making Patty-chan kiss you!"

"Don't tempt me..."

"Wow...she can talk." Ryuta pondered.

"Just because I love Patricia does not mean I hate Minami." He said plainly as he looked at his paper.

"Of course it does! When you take away one of us, you are ruining our entire foundation! I bet Tamura-san and Minami-chan are at home sad about their lost friend!"

"Huh..." He groaned.

At this point, there wouldn't be any reason to go try to bring this to an equal level. He moved his eyes along the hiragana. Any thing would prove to me a more entertaining story. Even the one about the galatic cult who was gaining a foot hold in the country. He tried to supress any more ramblings from the girl, but she was much more serious than he thought. She swatted away the news paper verticly, making the two look at each other face to face.

"I'm tired of you messing up my friends!" Yutaka continued.

"Ugh...I'm not even doing anything." He said.

Ryuta really could see the anguish his friend was going through as the girl went on with her nonsensical rant. His hands were wrapped around his face trying to keep all the irritation away. That was girl was more persistant than he would believed. He knew that in order to keep his friend's stability, she had to go away. The boy made a quick breathe as he prepared for his tactic.

He looked at his .mp3 player, noticing the song and the length it was on. Perfect timing. He released the plugs from his ears and cranked up the volume to absolute maximum. They could be heard decently by Ryuta by Yutaka was to concerned with her emotional speech. He slowly crept behind her with his plugs in position. Right when she got finished saying another generous thing about the green haired girl, he put the earphones on her. The piece of machinery screamed in the girl's ear:

_"PURGATORY UNLEASED, NOW BURN THE FACE OF THE EARTH!"_

Hear those words, she stopped. Her mind was stricken with the barbaric sounds of the lyrics and instruments. Kaito peaked at her in between his hands, seeing her dumbfounded. He then lit up, seeing Ryuta behind her. Yutaka was in panic, as she continued to hear the music play on.

_"THE FACE OF ALL YOUR FEARS. ALL YOUR FEARS, UNLEASHED,_

_THE FACE OF ALL YOUR FFFFFFFEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSS!!"_

In that small second, Yutaka body looked like a shell of her former self. All that spunk and cheerfulness was gone. The train slowly came to a stop as Kaito looked on at the two other people in the car. He took an extended inspection at Yutaka as the white in her eyes seemed missing. Even as he waved his arms in front of her, there was no response. The two teenagers stood out of the train, looking back at what happened. Ryuta had a rather satisfied grin on his face.

"Dude...that was genius." Kaito said.

"Thank you." He nodded, as the two returned back to civility.

* * *

Big apologies if I made any bad or repeating errors. I'm just rather drained. If I did any mistakes, feel free to correct me on them and laugh at me. I said the Yutaka situation would be dissolved, but no worries. This whole thing is temporary. As I said before, I do think Yutaka is a bit obsessed with Minami and would come up with such things due to her naivety.

Please Review!

Also, BRB. Concert in about 15 hours.


	25. Premonition Premonition

This chapter is kind of short in compared to some of the other chapters. But to those of you who like a good read, the next chapter should be what you are looking for. How? You'll see why when you read through.

Also, I have to give thanks to you guys once again. Thanks to the new Reader Traffic function, I can give credit to those in the United States, The United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, The Netherlands, Australia, and The Philippines. Great to know that this manga extended how to everyone. It pleases me to know that in that I can finally reach the epic 100th Review mark for a story. Thanks again!

On a small note, (/b/), you are correct for the most part. Nice job catching three of the four songs. The third song I was going for though, was Miss Murder, which I detest more than When You Were Young. Close though.

**Disclaimer: **Lucky Star is property of Yoshimizu Kagami.

* * *

**Chapter 25: Premonition (Premonition)**

Two teenagers sat in the top level hallway of Ryōō as they were in the middle of a small break. Usually when the teachers rotated through the classes, students had several minutes to relax, do work, or commune. Kaito and Ryuta decided to have a one on one conversation in the hallway to keep unwanted attention away. The green haired boy specifically wanted to talk about a particular issue.

"School lasts too long." Kaito groaned.

"It can, but since it's out last year, we won't have to deal with it that much." Ryuta assured.

"Yeah, but then there's college."

"College appeals to any time frame, you know. You can take classes in the morning, afternoon, or night."

"That's nice. However I'll probably make a sleep schedule around the classes and still be late to them."

"I think you just worry about it too much, Kaito-kun."

He bent his head, letting it land on his shoulder. "I suppose. I usually never worried about classes much, but I guess all the girls are making me start to think about my future."

"How so?"

"It feels like I'm going to slip up somewhere with Patricia-chan. Not only do I have to worry about her, I have to deal with the other girls. Since we all are weaved together in the same school, I wonder what'll happen if news starts to spread that we are hanging out."

"News hasn't been spread with you hanging out with four girls already?" Ryuta said, sarcastically.

"People know, but they don't talk about it to me really. With Patricia-chan things just kind of ended after I moved back into my house. I'm simply just a guy who talks to women."

"You shouldn't consider what other people think. If your love is true, then all you need is each other."

Kaito sighed. "It's easier said than done."

Ryuta put his hand over his friend's mouth. "Hold that thought."

Even though he wanted to talk his friend, his eyes decided to take over his body. Kaito glanced over to see what was so important. His eyebrows dropped however seeing what his friend wanted. Two rather attractive looking third year students walked by peculiarly slow. They were very curvaceous girls who were busy chatting as they strode by holding hands. As slow as they were moving, their sway caused their skirts to dance in the hallway. The boy's devious eyes followed them as they fully walked across the hall. Ryuta removed his hand after that.

"Dude." Kaito thought.

"I'm curious." Ryuta said. "Do you think high school was designed to put guys in this situation?"

"What situation?" He questioned.

"You know." He said, moving his hand across the school. "Doesn't it feel like high school tries to make you feel awkward and find girls?"

Kaito scratched his chin as he began thinking through all of the facts. While elementary school and middle school were practically the same thing, high school was quite more sinister. Combined with puberty, things felt much more annoying. Even with simple education factors, the social value of everything was rather peculiar. All the students had to worry about similar things. Guys however felt more pressured by this. Due to their gender, they had to succeed in order to make their families proud. They were also expected to choose the girls they love instead of letting things go their course.

"It really does." Kaito nodded. "What made you think about that Ryuta?"

"It's a social thing. It's like, we are supposed to decide our future, discover love, and work our asses off at the same time when we are the most vulnerable. Yet we also have to suppress these feelings."

He chuckled. "Why the sudden concern?"

Ryuta sighed. "There's something I've really been wondering about lately..."

"What's that?"

"Our uniforms!" He complained.

Kaito felt a bit confused, but straightened his eyes realizing what he was really getting on about. "Ah, I see."

"Don't you feel like serafuku was developed just to taunt guys?"

"It kind of is." He agreed.

"I mean, it's kind of hard that we have to suppress all of these feelings when all of these girls are wearing these rather pleasing uniforms with skirts and ribbons and everything!"

"Well since we are all required to wear uniforms, I guess it does make it harder to determine what girl you like."

"That's the issue. If they all look rather hot due to the serafuku, how can we tell who we really like? Clothes are usually a way for people to express what they like or how they feel."

"Well it shouldn't be hard for you." Kaito said bluntly.

"Now, don't get me wrong. If a girl in our grade had the type of figure I'd want, I'd give her a shot. But I'd only like her if she likes me back and she isn't a bad person. Just because I'm into certain people doesn't mean I have emotional standards." Ryuta defended.

"Fine, fine." He dismissed. "Still, uniforms are kind of a blessing. If every girl looks beautiful, that gives them all those same shot for romance. Besides, it gives us another reason to go to school."

The bespectacled friend laughed. "That's true."

"Oh! That reminds me!" Kaito said, having a moment of inspiration. "Not only is there the serafuku, but there's also the school required bloomers and swimsuits!"

Ryuta was furiously nodding. "Those things are so evil, yet so nice! Can you really claim those are justifiable uniforms?!"

"They can't be." Kaito said. "Bloomers are so ridiculously short, it's like an extra set of panties. And the school uniforms are skintight even if they are just a one-piece."

"I guess the one benefit about that is that we get to wear just shorts. I'd rant if I had to wear something that cuts of the circulation to the rest of my body."

"I wouldn't either. I guess school uniforms are a blessing and a curse." Kaito deduced.

Ryuta flashed him a thumbs up as the two of them stood up from the ground. They had a few minutes left to get into class as the teachers started moving. The students started to disperse as the long hands of several clocks were about to point straight up. Kaito waited beside the doorway of 3-B as Ryuta began walking away. But something clicked in his head, as his discussion of tight clothes and skirts had distracted him. He turned around back to talk to his friend.

"That reminds me." Ryuta said.

"What is it?" Kaito asked.

"I finally worked up the courage and I have a date."

His friend smiled learning that information. "Oh, congratulations."

"There's just a small catch..." Ryuta mumbled.

"A catch?"

"She wasn't too sure about if a date would be the best thing to do, since we haven't really been intimate. So I told her that we should try making a fun day out of this by doing a double date."

"Double date?" He said perplexed. His eyes closed though as he moved his fingers by his forehead. "Oh..."

"I was nervous. I didn't convince her instantly, so I had to coax it a little. And a double date would appear more innocent then a singular one."

"So you want Patricia-chan and I to go out with you two?"

"Basically." He said guilty.

Kaito put his hands down as he inched towards his class. He simply shrugged and said: "Alright."

"Just like that?" Ryuta said surprised. "Oh, thank you Kaito-kun."

"It's no problem. We are even once again, but I'm fine with it. Gives me an excuse to get out of the house and hang out with Patricia-chan."

"You are fine with Sunday, right?"

"Sure, sure. Just be sure that no one else knows other than the four of us."

"I wonder if he realizes that we both lose if this information slips out..." Ryuta thought disdainfully.

* * *

At the Izumi household, four family members were clearing their bowls of food. They decided to be a little more traditional and have a nice yosenabe. Most of the food was taken from the nicely sized clay pot leaving a few leftovers. Konata, Yui, and Sōjirō all made relaxing groans as they began taking their plates into the kitchen. Even though steamboats were a matter of fast eating, the three of them felt a bit unsettled. Their usually cheerful Yutaka was slowly picking away at her still full plate.

"Any idea what's happened to Yu-chan?" Yui asked.

"Not sure really." Konata said. "She's been like this for two days, but I suppose it's just a phase."

"Is she worried about her health?" Sōjirō suggested.

"Don't think so. She hasn't been sick lately." The daughter said.

"Maybe she's a bit worried because of how hot it's been lately." Yui said. "She's a bit weak, so maybe she's worried about something like heat stroke."

Sōjirō and Konata immediately began waving their hands in disbelief. "No! She can't go away! Don't think of anything like that! Nothing bad should happen to pillars of moé like her!"

"So my sister is dragged to the quality of a moéblob?" Yui thought eerily.

Yui decided to take some responsibility dealing with her little sister's mood. She wandered into the dining room where Yutaka was still using her chopsticks to move her food around. The meganekko began to ponder about the major issues that Yutaka was having as her regular activities screeched to a grinding halt. Her eyes and posture were very droopy, her pupils were nearly nonexistent. She seemed to spend most of the time in her room when she would usually watch television with the family. The biggest issue of all however was quite noticeable.

She wasn't talking. Her enthusiastic spark was very dim as she would instantly talk to her family after school. Whether she was talking about her beloved classmate or sweets, she would keep a rather open discussion with everyone. Today, she had ignored everyone as she would just work on her homework and come out to eat. Yui hoped that her upbeat personality would get her sister in the proper attitude.

"Yu-chan..." She said slowly.

"What is it?" The little girl responded in a rather slow tone.

"Everything all right?"

"Not really..." She sighed.

"What happened?" Yui asked with curiosity.

"I heard something." Yutaka said.

"Heard what?" She said rather interested.

"Something I can't really explain. There was smashing and yelling and thrashing and screaming."

The green haired adult tried to dig through her brain to see what would usually have those types of elements. While she was a cop who had seen a few rather heart racing scenes recently, she didn't usually want to get into horrendous things. That was it, Yutaka must of seen a rather terrifying horror-based movie. That or Konata had popped in a good old zombie shooting game about the effects of radiation.

"Oh ho...I know what's going on." Yui smirked.

"What?" Yutaka said, tilting her head at her older sister.

"You just need to see something that'll cheer you up. I'll go bring you a funny picture, now finish your food."

Yui walked in to the living room to find her special image. Yutaka started to feel a little better but was still plagued by those horrible sounds she heard that day. It was rather strange considering all she was doing was ranting at Konata's friend. What exactly happened that day? Her depression drifted into confusion as she was trying to remember what the cause of all those odd sounds was. She slowly began placing the mushrooms from her plate into her mouth as she tried to figure it out. Yui skipped happily back into the room with a wooden frame in her hand.

"Here ya go!" Yui said.

The image flashed in Yutaka's face as she stopped chewing. Her plain face soon turned into a small smile from the sheer amount of color of the picture. That smile turned into a rather infectious chuckle as her life was slowly returning towards it's normal, candy-coated state. The rest of her food was quickly devoured as she now had the energy to keep moving. She stood up cheerfully as she looked wide-eyed at her sister. They walked back into the kitchen where a patient Sōjirō and Konata were waiting.

"She's back to normal?" Sōjirō said.

"Yep!" Yui said confidently. She tussled Yutaka's hair as she pampered her ego. "Yu-chan's back to happy self!"

"How'd you do that Nee-san?" Konata asked.

"I showed her this." The cop said, flashing the frame.

As Konata looked at the image, her eyebrows and jaw began to sink. She felt a bit silly not noticing such an oblivious picture was in her very house. The picture was her at Comiket in her full Haruhi attire. While every other cosplayer looked perfect in uniform, Konata looked rather messy and out of place. Her legs were awkward positioned causing her skirt to appear a bit shorter than usual. Such a major error could not be seen from across the room, but on further inspection, she felt rather embarrassed to see such a flash.

"You look so cute in that picture, Onee-chan!" Yutaka smiled.

Konata's normally lazy eyes sharpened as she turned towards her dad. He was immediately missing from the room despite the short amount of time Yutaka had entered it. Her face felt disdained as she looked at it while a sweatdrop grew around her head.

"At least if Yu-chan's better, then this thing shows some purpose."

* * *

"Ok Kaito...you can do this."

The sun had just set causing darkness to seep into Kaito's room. The only thing he could see was the blinding power of his monitor as he sat in his chair. He was gazing deeply into his chocolate colored cell phone. Courage was rising and fading at different levels as he was trying to make his decision.

He knew what he had to do. Ryuta and him agreed that the whole process would carried out, causing them to be even once again. But what was holding him back? He knew that Patricia was quite a beautiful and gentle individual, yet it concerned him going out in public of her. His contaminated brain thought of the possibility of being seen in public by his other female friends, causing himself to get ostracized by the entire population. The risk seemed too heavy to bare.

Counter to his cowardice, he still wanted to do this. The testosterone could not allow himself to stay alone with the computer until he was out of high school. He wanted to do something, but it hadn't occurred to him all of the calculations he would have to make. He furiously shook his head.

No, he did not want to let the whole thing slip from his fingers. If he went this far, he knew that the whole thing could not disappear just like that. This is what he wanted to happen in the long run. He flipped his phone opened, ready to take the chance. He owed a big thank you to Patricia anyways.

At a local apartment, the delightful sounds of a character song echoed through it. The foreigner swiftly muted her television as she went off into her shrine room to locate her cell phone. She opened the door and picked up her vibrating device. As she read off the name on the plastic part of the screen, she held the machine close to her heart. One could see the hearts emitting from her head.

She flipped it open and answered it thusly: "Hello?"

"Hello, Patricia-chan?" Kaito asked.

"Hi, Kaito-_kun_." She said in an adoring fashion.

"How are you?" He greeted.

"Fine really. Haven't been doing much. How are you?"

"The same. I was wondering if I could ask you a question..."

"Oh?" She said rather fascinated. "What is it?"

Kaito stopped for a second to breathe. "Would you like to go on a date this Sunday?"

From those last words, she removed the phone from her head. Patricia bobbed her head happily as she was surprised by what Kaito had humbly asked. She hoped things would continue to be good since he left, and this is what she was looking for. It was only a shame she couldn't tell someone at this very second. She returned the device back to her ear.

"I would love to!" She said cheerfully.

"Well...that's good. There's just something I need to tell you."

"What's that?"

"You know my friend, Ryuta?"

"Yeah..." She said, some confusion hinted in her voice.

"He's wanted to date this one girl, but he couldn't really get her to date him. So when he suggested the idea to double date, she went along with it. And since I'm the only guy he knows who's in the same situation as him..."

"Oh, Kaito-kun!" She whined. "That means we aren't going to be able to do anything lavish and personal!"

"Well, we can have fun. It's just that we'll be around friends during this whole situation."

"But what about this other girl?"

"I don't know anything about her either, but it's not like that's going to matter."

"Do you think that'll put a damper on anything between us?"

"Of course not." He said calmly. A sweat drop appeared around his head though as she sighed through the phone. This was clearly not what she expected. He decided to use a regular technique that had been helping men with women for decades. "If you want to, we could have some personal time before or after this little double date."

"Really?!"

"Absolutely. We need to spend some time together, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Sounds good. I guess I'll pick you up on Sunday then."

"I'll be counting the hours, Kaito-kun." Patricia said sweetly.

"As will I, Patricia-chan." He responded. And in that brief moment, he turned off his phone.

With that obstacle out of the way, he had to simply tell his folks that he would be out for that day. Food prepartion was always a big issue at the house. He had to inform his dad on if he was going to eat home or not, or else the mood would be killed for the day. He walked into the living room where his dad was reading a newspaper with a television barely giving out any audio.

"Takara wins case of dental malpractice..." Iwao muttered to himself as he read down.

"Dad?"

"What is it?" He said, lowering his paper.

"Um, I won't be here on Sunday."

"Going out?" He suggested.

"Yeah, just going to spend some time with the guys."

The father returned to his paper, but spoke once more. "Ok then, have fun. Thanks for telling me."

"Perfect..." He thought, getting away with that simple lie.

The otaku marched triumphantly into his room as he had to prepare everything out until the big day. It was a shame there was such little time left...

* * *

Kuroi Nanako looked anxiously at her computer as she and four other avatars waited outside of a large cave. Everyone was taking a break to regain their hit points and mana. The last horde of enemies before the big boss was always an annoyance. Her mage sat there in a napping motion as she rested against the wall.

"This boy has been away for ten minutes..." She said hissed. She blinked, watching her student's text appear on the screen.

Konakona: I'm really getting tired of waiting.

Gatongo: me too lololol.

Matchy: I'll give him a few more minutes.

The blonde haired teacher's stomach made a slight grumble. Since she was waiting, may as well put that time into good use.

Nanokon: Be right back.

She slowly detached herself from her seat, moving towards the kitchen. The best way to calm this beast would be to have a relatively simple snack. She looked in her pantry and grabbed a simple plastic bowl of fox udon. Ripping the plastic off, she moved it towards an essential part of the kitchen: The hot water dispenser. She pressed against the large red button.

A very light trickle of heated liquid poured onto her large portion of noodles. Nanako looked at the food with a grimace from her disappointment.

"Damn. Looks like I'm going to have do things the old fashion way." She said.

The woman took a metal tea pot from one of her bottom cabinets and filled it with water. That was her last snack of fox udon, so she didn't want it to go to waste. She briskly moved it towards the burner of her oven. As she turned it onto high, she was once again put in a halted state.

Just as the temperature began to rise, so did her irritation. She didn't want such a simple thing to take so long in her moment of crisis. Kuroi began tapping her foot as she watched the kettle not do anything for a decent period of time. Around the time the steam finally escaped, she quickly dived into action.

In a flash, the burner was turned off, the water was poured into the bowl, and the pot was moved to a cool part of the oven. The teacher traveled from the kitchen back to her computer with a few seconds flat. She moved her mouse, to take the computer out of its hibernation state.

She looked down at the text, to see her guild chat away about the things that happened.

Konakona: Yes! It's destroyed!

Matchy: Nice!

Yamanka: Come on...good loot...

Gatongo: Grats, lolololol, grats.

Her sharp teeth looked as if they were about to jump out of her mouth from the amount of pressure she was putting on them. She typed away at her keyboard, trying to figure out the situation.

Nanakon: What happened?!

Konakona: You took too long, sensei. Yamanka came back after you left.

Yamanka: We were able to kill the monster with out you, sorry.

Matchy: Look at this stuff! A breastplate, a platinum ring, mage beret, and several gems!

Konakona: Rare drops galore!

Gatongo: Lmao, can I have the beret? lol

Nanakon: But I've been waiting for that thing to drop for months!

Gatongo: lolololol better luck next time roflcopter.

That night, Kuroi-sensei went to bed full, but sniffling about her troubles.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed. I personally felt like I may have made a few inconsistences, but I'll let you guys be the judge. I mainly feel that way with the second scene because I did want to fix Yutaka, but embarass Konata at the same time. If it's a big enough issue, I'll edit it. If you are wondering, those are several of the names of people from Konata's game.

Please Review!


	26. Girls on Film

Ok guys, I apologize for my severe absence in things. I should get into rather big detail about everything that's happened. To start off, no, I'm not going to give up on this fic or hold it up for ransom for more reviews. I'm pretty happy all around because of my recent boost. So, I owe thanks to my regulars, Akai-Kurenai, and Veneficus21 for getting the 100th review. Great job!

First off, one major hurdle in my creation for this fic is my planning for the upcoming Haruhi story I shall do after this one. I kind of had one of those inspirational moments where it was **SO CRAZY COINCIDENTAL**, that I my mind had completely skewed off of this story just to think of ideas for that one. I don't want to work on that one however until after this story is finished.

The second issue has been with time and restriction. College is coming up, and I haven't had too much time to write lately due to issues with family. It happens, but oh well. Plus, I'm starting to get less and less used to typing on my desktop.

The last issue that kind of affects you all would be the fact that I had a rather big argument with Luster127. When I feel crappy, writing is one of the last things on my mind. It just happens. So no Lucky Channel guys, sorry. However, I decided to dissect this chapter into two sections to keep people entertained and not overwhelmed. I still feel really sorry though about being so late. It's no excuse for me. But, I do implore you all to enjoy. And if you see a glaring error or two, tell me.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Lucky Star. If I did, we'd have Season 2 out by now.

* * *

Chapter 26: Girls on Film

Kaito leaned his back against the rising wall of the elevator. The day had come when he would go out on his very first date. He felt anxious, yet worried at the same time. Even though dates are special events it might turn awkward knowing that there would be another couple out there to watch them. Dates were to be test to see how well two people could interact in public. Yet, he already had reached the point where a date would not be necessary.

He scratched the back of his neck as he walked out. The feeling of uncertainty was starting to become overpowering as he thought deeper and deeper into the situation. Patricia wasn't really the subtle type; he didn't want her to make a scene. This was his duty however. He took the risk, he would surely regret it if he were to back out now. Not to mention it would put any other of his future relationships in danger. He knew girls and their endless circle of information.

The male otaku took a quick breath as he stood in front of the apartment door. He checked to see if he had everything prepared. Wallet, phone, shopping cards, pen, everything was there. He knocked slowly, hoping the day would go according to plan. There were a few regular activities planned out, but each of them was a perfect opportunity for flags. His heart began to race as he heard galloping footsteps come to the door. The knob was nearly ripped off.

As the door opened, Patricia revealed herself for the big, social event. Kaito couldn't help but look at what she was wearing as they were about to be seen in public for the first time. She had on a strawberry colored sweater that quite showed off her figure, as well a nice pair of boot-cut blue jeans. It was simple, but it still made he felt a bit prideful in hanging out with a cute girl. Hopefully people wouldn't look down on him in his short-sleeved black shirt covering over his black and white, long-sleeved shirt.

"Good afternoon, Kaito-kun." Patricia greeted profusely.

"Nice to see you as always, Patricia-chan." He responded.

She quickly locked the door and stood next to her friend. "Ready to go?"

"Of course. I'm an hour early though, so should we do anything?"

"We are meeting in Ikebukuro, right?"

"Yep." As he responded, the two of them entered into the elevator. "Ryuta said he wasn't bringing a big otaku fan with him, so we decided on a more casual shopping district."

"Maybe we can spend some time together by going to Otome Road."

"Sure, that'll..." He said calmly, until he remembered those last two words.

Maiden Road: A haven for all fujoshi and those looking for explicit doujin of a rather peculiar nature. Yet for anyone with a Y chromosome, it was a place that clearly had to be avoided. He knew that if he were even to meander in the area, he would be stared at by all. He glanced over at his smiling friend to see that she was dead set on going to the area. Kaito sighed knowing he would really find a way out of this situation. He did owe Patricia a little treat though for going along with this whole double date.

Once they got off the elevator, they started moving towards their destination. They had to get on the subway towards the Ikebukuro stop where they would meet the other couple in front of a movie theater. A matinee seemed rather appropriate for a lazy Sunday like this. It was the afternoon, so the decision to have a meal and go shopping was to be completely based around what the women though. The male otaku began pondering over every possible route, till a sudden action caught him off guard.

While he was focusing on his brain, Patricia had her eyes set on a different prize. She slowly had moved her hand downward until it locked with his own. His pupils darted to see that their fingers were touching. They were close, but it made him feel uncomfortable nonetheless. It wouldn't be that rare to see a boy and girl in public, but if they were holding hands? That was a much different story. He slowly shook his hand off, causing her grip to break. She looked at him queerly.

"Is something wrong?"

"Uh..." Kaito stammered. "Not really. I just don't think we need to make a scene of ourselves."

"Holding hands will do that to us?" She asked.

"At our age? In the city? Yeah." He nodded.

Patricia pouted, feeling Kaito's aura of insecurity. She decided to shrug it off though, as it would be best not to put a damper on the whole day. Even though she had been living in Japan in a year, there was still much for her to learn. They simply walked on, keeping the appropriate distance as they entered in the train station. As they entered into the crowded car, they still sat together, listening to the sounds of the wheels going across the track. The minor bumps and rolling sound made the travel a bit more entertaining.

Once the train made its stop, the two of them quickly walked out and back into the daylight. Unfortunately for Kaito, Maiden Road was only a short walk away. This hotspot already looked like a place he would not be treading. He could already see several signs from a distance displaying the wares and sales for every single story. It was amazing how much these places flaunted everything. He began mumbling to himself, why such a haven for men had not been invented yet.

"Which store are we going into?" Kaito asked.

"The first one." She said simply.

Ironically enough, the first store was the most decorated and largest sized store on the entire street. He rubbed his hand against his head thinking about how long he may have to wait. Even with his knowledge of otaku women, he still did not to really be seen in this area. As they approached the front door, Kaito immediately glued himself to the wall next to the large glass window. Patricia once again looked at him in confusion as he didn't want to get involved.

"You don't want to go in?" She asked.

"Not really...I'm not too interested in this kind of stuff." He said, scratching through his hair. "You go on ahead though, have fun."

"O-Kay then." She said a small amount of bewilderment in her voice.

She only had an hour to browse and shop around the entire store. Yet the second the door began revolving, Kaito could already feel the shame rubbing against him. Even when he peaked into the window from time to time, he couldn't build up the courage every time he saw one teenager on top of the other. His eyes started to dash from side to side as people passed by. He usually wasn't worried over these kinds of things, but Otome Road was quite a different story compared to Akihabara. And he was right on the edge where the buses would get off, allowing everyone would be able to see him loiter.

A few minutes passed by, Kaito could easily feel like kicking himself for not bringing along his portable system or a small tankōbon to read. It would keep him distracted from the evil considerations from his own thoughts. He started to question if Patricia specifically wanted to go to Ikeburuko for explicit doujinshi only. That wouldn't make much sense, considering she spent a lot of time on the computer. However, due to the rocky start of this date, he couldn't help but think about the rest of the day.

"Gah...please hurry up soon." He angrily thought. "I'm already wishing we could just spend the day sitting around in a theater. It'd be comfortable that way."

At that moment, he watched a gaggle of girls passing by, about to go into one of the smaller shops in the area. They couldn't help but notice though at the lone boy leaning melancholy against the wall of the window. After staring at him for a small moment, they began grinning insidiously assuming his true purpose. His feeling of anguish reached his point as he turned his face away. Part of his eye glanced into the store, watching the blonde mop of his dreams look over some volumes.

"Finish up, Patricia-chan." He groaned.

"I forgot to get the newest copy of this!" The foreigner said happily as she looked over the new cover of a particular manga.

As she took her eyes of the catboys on the cover, she caught a glimpse of her friend sulking in the window. Empathy slowly began to wear away her need to look through any more titles. She moved her product to the cashier to purchase. In a small bag she gathered her money, point card and volume. As she walked out the store, she was immediately greeted by Kaito's look.

"Glad your back." He said. The two continued walking towards the theater.

"We should get ready to go to the movie."

"Yeah, there's still the issue of getting tickets, snacks and seats."

"I wanted to shop a little more..." She whined meekly.

"There will be time for that afterwards." He said, reassuringly."

"Sure..." She said sheepishly.

Kaito's eyebrow immediately shot upward from that lackluster response. A quick strike like that wouldn't create the perfect day that his friend so desired. His brain started to find the best solution that would suit Patricia the best. He scratched his chin as he walked with the girl in tandem. What was the one thing that she would want that could keep her happy without breaking his wallet. When he connected the dots, he felt a bit stupid letting the public eye get to him. He was already seen in Maiden Road, what would doing this hurt?

He took a deep breath as he lifted his left hand up. With each small descent, his heart began to beat furiously. He gritted his teeth as he hoped for the best. His hand slowly touched Patricia's right arm, moving downward. It was fast, yet delicate enough to make the touch feel like a tingly caress. Patricia blinked as she watched Kaito's hand grip on to hers. The tension of his hold began to change from shaky to a more relaxed feel. Kaito started to walk a bit more briskly now. This feeling was quite more relaxing than he expected. She turned her head in awe of the move.

"I, I guess it's s-silly for us to not hold hands." He denounced while he was blushing.

"Kaito-kun..." Patricia said, as her sapphire eyes began glistening.

He looked at her with new found confidence. "We aren't hurting anybody. If we are happy, that's all that matters!"

"Yeah!" She nodded.

The two of them walked off with their happiness levels at an all time high.

* * *

When they finally arrived at the movie theater, they stood in line as people began crowding for the newest release. A recently adapted anime was already extended and fit to the silver screen. Lines already reached the length spanning out of the building. The two otakus sighed as they looked at the time.

"Will we be able to get in?" Patricia asked.

"We should. I just don't want to miss the introduction or anything." Kaito said.

"I hope we don't miss any of the information. In America, they would spend a few minutes focused around one trailer. But here, you guys just move quickly from one thing to another." She explained.

"Commercials work that way for us. It moves in a flash, so you'll have to pay attention to the screen so you don't miss it."

"You think Ryuta-kun bought the tickets for us?"

"Nah..." He said. "He doesn't really have a large amount of money to buy everything for us. Probably just enough for himself and his mystery girl."

"I see."

They slowly crept along as the line moved in sequence. With each step, they took closer observation around the whole theater around them. It was rather spacious and colorful compared to a normal cinema. Large posters hanged from the ceilings while several cardboard cutouts displayed poses for many future releases. Even as they would get out of the ticket line, lines were already gathered up at the concession stand, the bathrooms, and even the small arcade for those that needed to kill time. The two of them looked curiously at their stubs.

"Looks like we are going to go into theater 7." Patricia said.

"I've been in it, it's pretty big." Kaito said. He pointed his thumbs towards the confession lines. "Do you want a snack?"

"I'm good. Are we going to eat afterwards?"

"We need to check with Ryuta before we decided that. Where are they, anyway..."

"Oi! Kaito! Over here!" Various voices said.

They turned their heads to see the other date to going along with them for the day. Kaito walked up to his best friend who was standing by one of the benches for the bathroom. Ryuta and himself tossed a few friendly punches pumped up for the movie. Once it settled down, the other couple looked over the one girl Ryuta longed for. She was kind of plain looking to be honest. Tan skin and short brown hair, it felt like she would blend in very well with the background. When she spoke though, Kaito could understand how he would find her so irresistible.

"Ah, you must be Kurohiko-kun's friend, right?" She said.

"Yeah, that's me."

"Sorry about that. Let me introduce you two. Kaito, this is Kusakabe Misao. She's in my class."

"Nice to meet you." He bowed.

"The same!" She responded, bending rather fast. She took a glance to see who he brought along. "I see you brought along Martin-san with ya, eh?"

"Patricia?" He said, looking at her.

She modestly scratched her face. "It's a long story. But it's filled with dancing and uniforms!"

"That's good." He pointed at his bespectacled friend and his fanged accomplice. "I have a question though. If you two are in the same class, what took you so long to go out together?"

"It started rather strangely..."

* * *

It was a rather muggy afternoon when Ryuta and Misao started focusing on each other. The music club was practicing and jamming in the gymnasium as they didn't have to worry about follow the teacher's orders. In one corner, the large amount of smashing sounds came from the percussion department doing what they do best. Their loud playing couldn't allow them to hear the footsteps of an angry track and field member. Shouting however...

"Oi! Who's in charge here!?"

From that, all the heads turned towards the girl in bloomers. One kid smiled deviously being able to see a girl in such a moé outfit outside of physical education. He stood from his nice drum and approached her thusly.

"The teacher is out at the moment, but I am the head percussionist. Can I help you with something?"

"Yeah, I...!" As she was about to blow her top off, some of her anger subsided seeing her classmate. "Oh, Kurohiko-san."

"Do you need help with anything?"

"I'm a little irritated by something." She remembered, stamping her foot. "Why do you guys have control of the gym? You guys don't do any physical activity."

"Well, _we_ do physical activity." He said, pointing at his other drummers. "Everyone else just blows or plucks. But I think we have control because there are more people in the music club."

"Thought so. Shouldn't you perform in an auditorium though? It's more appropriate."

"The music club branches out to several people. Not only do we have our standard band, but several of the garage bands have formed and are rehearsing for bigger performances. We could do it in a different place, but this way we have the most room and we can make a ton of noise without interrupting too many people."

"I see. That does make some sense. Plus, that way people might not have to hear someone shouting of _PIGPIGPIGPIGPIG!_" She continued to sigh though. "Still, it's a bit unfair."

"I think the student council recently decided on putting us here."

She sneered. "Of course, it's a bit unfair that they get to make all these random decisions."

Ryuta didn't care much for the student council, but decided to go along with her feelings. "They always feel like a bunch of elitists with no lives."

Misao chuckled at that statement. "I always wonder how they can balance school and work like that. Seems crazy." She looked around the gym to see something very off. "Was there a tv here?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "We put it into the storage room. Why do you ask?"

"Eh, I feel a little bored. Maybe I could do a little dancing until school ends."

He felt shocked learning that information. "We have that game here?!"

"Oh yeah, we play it all the time. It helps some us stay fit."

"Please show me. I have to see how good you are."

The classmates of 3-C walked to the storage room thinking about the rest of the intriguing afternoon.

* * *

"The ability to bond through gaming strikes again!" Kaito proclaimed as the four of them walked into the large theater.

As they walked up the ramp, they looked in awe at the sheer amount of people crowded inside. The very back and front were easily filled up by die-hard fans of series who had grabbed a ticket ahead of time. A few of them even dressed up as characters from the series. Misao, Ryuta, Patricia, and Kaito walked up a few steps and grabbed some seats near the middle. To their advantage, they didn't have to go through anyone to disrupt their movie viewing experience. The fanged girl plopped herself in the reclining chair as she watched the screen show small bits of trivia.

"Ah...I love these seats." She cooed.

"It's always better going to a nice multiplex." Ryuta said.

"They always tend to get the less popular films as well." Patricia added on.

The four of them dug deeply into their seats to get adjusted for the upcoming period of time. They listened to the waiting music and tried answering the various questions the screen told the audience. Patricia blinked for a second, realizing a major flaw in the movie's ambiance. Her preparation of waiting for Kaito made her completely forget about making breakfast this morning. As her friend smiled getting his question right, he turned his head towards her feeling a tug on his shirt.

"Patricia-chan?"

"Kaito-kun..." She said sweetly. "Could you get me some treats?"

"Uh, oh...okay." The boy said a little unsettled. He asked the question about ten minutes ago. "What do you want?"

The fujoshi took a brief pause before she put her finger on her chin. "Ummmm.." Kaito wanted to roll his eyes so hard that they would jump out of his sockets. "Could you get me a slushy of some kind?"

"Anything else?"

"Get some sumiyaki coffee candy if you can find it. If they don't have that, just get something chocolate related.

"Oi, you getting some snacks Yasuhiro?" Misao said.

"Am I suddenly the movie slave?" Kaito questioned.

Ryuta chuckled. "You're standing. So therefore, you are."

He cocked a brow at the girl. "What do you need then, Kusakabe?"

"Tomoe Ame!" She said enthusiastically.

"Fine, fine." He shrugged as he walked down the stairs. Once he opened the doors, he quickly dashed back into the main room. As he stopped, he groaned seeing that the long lines were still there. His anger started to bubble as he waited in line.

"Patricia-chan just had to wait until I was good and seated to ask me for a drink. I asked her clearly if she wanted something. And couldn't she of just looked over the menu before being so vague? Misao should of got something too...they got here before us. I just hope that Ryuta has a lot of fun with her for the most part. It still surprises me though how he's with her considering how fit she looks."

Once his rage started to wither away, he blinked realizing he was at the front of line. The cashier quickly greeted him.

"Can I help you?"

"Y-yes," He stammered, pulling out his wallet. "May I have a large, make those two large slushies?"

"What flavor?"

"Do you have cherry?" He assumed.

"Yes."

"Two cherry. Could I also have some sumayaki coffee candy, tomoe ame, and sakuma drops?"

"Of course." The employee nodded, as two others began working towards the other assignments. One of them quickly worked towards the frozen drink machine. The second pulled out the two large plastic bags and a nice tin of the fruit candy from under the booth. Kaito picked up the tin and took inspection of it.

"Oh cool, you guys carry them in the tin..."

"We wish to provide this best. Here is your total."

They made the quick transaction of yen to items. Kaito quickly took the two monstrous drinks and his sweets from the main room back towards the dark section. He felt irritated seeing that the container they had left him to carry everything was it such poor quality. The condensation from the drinks looked like it seep through the cardboard and soon lead to a giant mess. He kicked open the door to find a dim room full of patrons. When he reached the stairs, he sighed trying to see his friends among everyone. Passing around the middle, he heard a rather loud whisper.

"Kaito-kun! Over here!" Patricia said.

He slowly walked backwards as he moved into the aisle. He tossed the ame candies towards Misao, as well put two drinks in their appropriate cup holders. Kaito's head moved back and forth from the screen and the others.

"Did I miss anything?"

"Nah, you didn't miss anything." Misao confirmed.

"It's an animated movie, so they had a lot of tie-ins." Ryuta added on.

Patricia looked up at the cup that was delivered to her. She pointed at it as it was nearly 33 centimeters.

"Why'd you get me the largest size?"

"It's always to get the largest size at the movies. It's give you your money's worth. If the smallest is only 100 yen less, and the largest is 500 yen, then you may as well splurge.

"I suppose." She said. "Did you get the coffee candy too?"

"Of course." He said, dropping the bag in her lap.

Kaito sat back down in his chair focusing his eyes on the screen. A few seats beside them, Misao quickly went to work on the candies she had requested. She quickly took two and popped them into the mouth with the paper still on them. Ryuta looked at her in interest as she began made a cute nibbling noise with each chew. She looked at him with intrigue, putting the bag forward.

"Want one?"

"Thanks." He said. "I see you just dive right into it. I do the same." The girl grinned knowing that she had another similarity with him.

Patricia slowly savored the coffee candy as she looked on at the movie. It was taking a rather long time to pass through the title and intro music. She reached towards the frozen drink she asked for as she swallowed the candy. It was a mammoth in side, so she had to position it correct to make sure it wouldn't poke her in the eye. With one sip, she immediate was hit by the memories of drinking them. She felt a bit silly not thinking they were here in Japan. They were practically in every story in America.

The chemicals mixing with her tongue made her enjoy the concoction more than the actual movie. She stopped for a second, to make sure it wouldn't hit any of the top of her mouth. Stabbing pains would ruin this enjoyment quickly. She looked on at Kaito as he looked at the screen while sucking on a sakuma drop. It made her feel amazed as he bothered to go off and get her something in threat of missing a crucial scene. With the taste still in her mouth, she leaned her head passed the arm rest.

The foreigner pressed her lips against Kaito in a chilling touch. It was a soft peck, but it left a rather interesting stamp of cherry lips on his cheeks. He felt stunned, as he nearly gulped the whole candy down. He put two fingers on his cheek, looking at Patricia with new found surprise.

"What was that about?" He smiled.

"For getting me my favorite flavor." She giggled.

"Aww..." His gazed shifted to those sapphire eyes he became accustomed too.

"Ok guys, movie is starting now." The bespectacled one said.

"My legend began in the 12th centaury." A white figure began. "Would you like to hear it?"

"I would actually prefer to see-"

"Fool!" It interrupted the boy. This was going to be long...

* * *

Once again, it was a relaxing Sunday for some, but a rather boring one for others. The Hiiragi household set on that room. Tsukasa was looking over her large pile of homework that she had been assigned to work on for extra credit. Kagami made sure that she would get it all done so she would hopefully be able to go to college. Her father intended that would be the route she would take, but she needed some motivational pushing from her twin to get moving.

She closed her math book as she looked at her clock. She wanted to finish all of her problems before her drama show was to come on. Tsukasa started to pant as she stood up from her chair. She had been sitting for so long that her overalls had been at a steamy temperature. The girl stretched her body as she prepared to get a drink from the kitchen. She wandered into the kitchen, taking a glass from the cupboard and putting it against the refrigerator.

The machine whirred, pushing crescent shaped ice cubes into the glass. When Tsukasa put it on the counter, she noticed something rather off with it. There were too many cubes for just one drink. It'd turn the liquid into a bland water flavor. Her body already felt rather humid, so she popped one of the cubes into her mouth to cool her down. Little did the sister realize that the scientific values ice has on the human skin. Instead of opening the fridge, she dashed off to Kagami's room to hope she would help her out.

Tsukasa slipped open the door, causing Kagami's immediate response.

"Tsukasa...?"

"Mome-cham!" She mumbled. Kagami looked in awe at how the whole crescent ice cube stuck in her mouth.

"You sucked on an ice cube again didn't you?" She said in disappointment. Her sister put her head down in shame. "Well, just rip it out."

"Whaff if I rip my mips!?" She said louder.

"Just use the blow dryer then." She dismissed. A light bulb appeared above the short-haired girl's head as she dashed off to the bathroom. The tsundere just sighed and tried to go on with the rest of the day as usual.

* * *

Back in Ikebukuro, several people left the theatre feeling rather satisfied from the movie. It was kind of pointless as most shōnen movies were. It was just a nice, lengthened plot to entertain everyone instead of add on to the original plotline. The animation was quite dedicated to the original style considering the great studio that had worked on it. Kaito, Patricia, Ryuta, and Misao all walked out of it feeling relaxed. After a quick stretch, they went back into conversation.

"That was pretty good." Kurohiko said.

"Let me tell ya, I haven't watch that show." Misao started. "But that movie was a pretty fun ride."

Patricia nodded. "I hope I get to see it again."

"The fighting was done pretty well. Especially when that renegade got sliced in two." Kaito added.

"Oh, that was great!" The fanged girl went on. "I usually like watching action based things, but Ayano kind of has a weak stomach."

"What should we do now?" Ryuta said.

"Shopping!" The gaijin immediately said. Kaito glanced in the other direction seeing her one track mind in swing.

"Sounds good." They all nodded.

Patricia and Misao went ahead trying to find a nice, layered department store to go to. They wanted to figure out what would be the best things to buy on a day like this. The male otakus kept up the rear discussing what they just saw. It was a perfect mix of action, humor, and a nice slice of fanservice for them to enjoy. Kaito began thinking through, figuring that he need to catch up on the newest episodes that he had missed early. The marimo-haired kid brought up a rather easy topic for them to talk about on the way to the store.

"So which group do you like the best, Kaito?" Ryuta asked.

"Of the good guys?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm...It's hard to tell. Don't they all have rather equal popularity?"

"When I think about it, they might." Ryuta said, with his thumb on his jaw. "They all have their pros and cons to make them rather interesting teams."

"I'd say when you come down to it; I probably like the third team the most."

"Good choice." He nodded.

All of them were good, but Ryuta had to agree on that statement. That team was a bit more stylized and distinguished from the other two. It was led by a rather clean-cut, perfectionist type with his own powers and quirks. With him though, he was paired up with two sisters rather than just one like most other people. The sisters themselves were rather entertaining, nearly being a perfect tsukkomi and boke combo. They were pretty attractive too, thinking about their features. The younger was a bit more fascinating...even though she was younger, her breasts were a least an extra size. Something clicked in Ryuta's heading after seeing it so clearly.

"Hey Kaito..." He said slyly.

"Don't say it." He said plainly, as the followed the girls into the mega store for the next part of their date.

* * *

Hehe, hope you all got that reference at the end cause I really wanted to parody that series. It's just so awesome that I had to do it.

One thing I want to note about this…I borrowed some advice from my friends: weluvgirlswithglasses. The Japanese tend to be a bit more insecure with showing affection in public. It's just a cultural thing on there part, so that's why there's that tension in there between Kaito and Patty. Just to warn you all. And on a final note, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE RYUTA/MISAO SERIOUSLY. I don't plan to focus on them too much, but they will serve a purpose. Just want to throw that out there.

Please Review! I'll get the next part up quickly! Oh yeah, all of those candies that I mentioned are real brands. Tomoe Ame comes with edible rice paper.

PS: Rock Band music is relaxing at times…especially lately. /wink


	27. Til I Hit The Ground

Here you go guys. My second two-parter. If you read through this, you can clearly see why I had to divide the two. There was just so much dialogue in it that I had to just divide it. Kind of gave me an excuse though for a few nice extra scenes. Probably the first ever with Yukari scene I've done.

My chapters kind of come in different ways. There's those that'll make you laugh, those that'll make you think, and those filled to the brim with references. This is most likely the one that'll make you go "Daww..." I'm not too much of a romance expert, so feel free to give me some critique. I'm more of a humor and description kind of person who comes up with ideas too often. So have fun reading this.

**Disclaimer:** Yasuhiro Kaito and Kurohiko Ryuta are property of me. Yoshimizu Kagami owns Lucky Star and Kyoto Animation animates it. Remember that.

* * *

**Chapter 27: 'Til I Hit the Ground**

Inside of one of Japan's monstrously large stores, four teenagers ascended towards the top floor in an elevator. The machinery dinged allowing everyone to get out of the box and to see all of items for sale. They split into two separate groups from that point. The boys went towards the slim selection of manga the store would offer. On a different side of the floor, the girls had their eyes set on the wonderful amounts of clothes.

Kaito and Ryuta found themselves thumbing through the small amount of picture books on a few racks in the back. It was nothing really special, but it was all up to date for the most part. A shōnen or magical girl series or two, but a surprising amount of stuff targeted for the whole family. The kind of thing the average family could watch and suspect nothing evil or defiled about it. As the bespectacled teenager but his book down, he noticed how his friend was still reading his tankōbon about the red-shirted boy.

"You still read that?" Ryuta asked.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'll still look into it. They still do anime for it, so it's kind of nice to look over the source material." Kaito said.

"Uh-huh." He said plainly.

"What?"

"Isn't it a bit juvenile?" He questioned.

"A little, but it's kind of nice to see something that's fun for everyone. Besides, when you were six, didn't you see things like that?"

"I did. But I did have courtesy not to show my bottom half to everyone I know."

"Eh, it's a win and a loss." Kaito said.

"I did like that superhero in the show though."

The chestnut haired boy put the manga back on its shelf. "Did you ever see the American version of the show?"

"No."

"Oh, you won't believe it. They do a lot of crazy things in it to make it more mature."

"Don't tell me they did something with the art. The art is part of the appeal!"

"No no, it's not like that. It was more of a change in writing."

"Oh man...was it acquired by that company?"

"Don't even utter the name of those people. But no, this was done by a respectible company who did this for maturity and laughs, but has had surprising following."

"So how does that affect the superhero?"

"You remember his name, right?"

"Action Mask."

"They refer to him as Action Bastard in the dub."

Ryuta's pupils shrunk, but a wry smiled formed across his face. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious."

"That is so wrong...yet I can't really be angry about it."

"But it's kind of strange that they changed it."

"Why?"

"Well, the word _kamen_ means mask. Yet they changed it to be bastard."

"It was for laughs though, right?"

"Yeah. But it makes me wonder. If they get other animes, will they change the names for laughs? Will the United States be seeing products such as _Bastard Rider_ or _Bastard Maid_?"

"Oh if they do that I'm going to have to watch it." Ryuta nodded.

"The ball is in America's court."

Back towards the clothes' section of the department, Patricia and Misao already had a few piles of things they were ready to buy. The gaijin had a few more, due to the fact it was part of her line of work to dress up for entertainment. While her selections were more flashy and decorative, Misao had a few pieces of apparel that were rather simple, but still cute. The tan skinned girl took great notice to this.

"So you like clothes a lot, don't ya?" Misao stated.

"Yep!" She responded. "It's natural to care about what you wear even though we wear serafuku every day."

"Oh yeah. Sometimes it can get boring seeing nothing but pink and white and yellow and blue."

"You see a lot of things when you work at a cafe."

Misao took a grin to that. "So that's why you can get so many things."

Patricia happily nodded to that statement. "Do you work?"

"Nah, I have a club already. I think I'd shut down if I did anything else."

"I got ya." She said, as the two took their stacks of clothes to find their friends.

"Do you ever get overwhelmed from working and being in school? I've heard that the education system is much different."

"It's insane really." Her eyes started to tremble at the mere thought. "How do you deal with it?!"

"Basically the second I get home, I have to just work. It's a simple system of school, homework, food, homework, sleep. Any time between all that is spent towards games or reading. When it comes to homework though, I'll rely on Ayano or Hiiragi-chan."

"Feels like I have to start relying on others lately. Once Kaito-kun left the house, I'm starting to realize that I need to buy more cleaning materials."

"You turned him into a servant?" She said jokingly.

"Kind of. He needed a place to live, I was there, it was a fair deal. It both worked out for us though in the long run." Patricia said with a fluttering in her voice. "How about you? Since you hang out with Ryuta, do you plan to ask him for things?"

"Hard to tell really. Me and Kurohiko-kun don't have a rich history or anything. But I do like him and he's a nice guy. I'll just have to wait and see what happens for the most part."

"Well, I do wish you the best."

The two girls grinned as they came up to the counter. Kaito and Ryuta met up with them with no intentions to buy anything for themselves. Just not enough selection compared to a nice specialty store. As they brought their items up to the register, the guys watched as clothing was being swiped and rung up. It's amazing they had interest it every single piece. Once they grabbed their bags, they gathered up for the next leg of their day.

"Where should we go now?" Misao asked.

"I could go for a bite." Ryuta said.

"I don't go to this area for Tokyo much." Kaito admitted. "Is there any really good places to eat?"

"Oh!" The fanged girl perked up. "There's a great place that serves tons of flavors of curry!"

"Sounds perfect. Spicy curry is some of my favorite."

"Mine too!"

Kaito glanced over at Patricia. "You up for curry?"

Unbeknownst to Kaito, Patricia was gazing on at something at the top of the manga shelf. His eyes followed up as he ignored everything else aside from his regular series. But on the top were not just mangas, but plushies. On the pinnacle of this pyramid of great animes was a divine animal known for her simple adventures around the house. Along with this very perfectly posed piece of stuffed fabric was a fresh tankōbon of the newest volume. The two male otakus at it with two different faces.

"Oh..." The blonde haired girl said as she was in awe of the item. "I have to own that. It's just so cute..."

"Can't blame her." Ryuta shrugged. "It's a cute series. It's pretty funny though how much the internet has exploited it."

"Crap." Kaito thought. "Oh please, don't say it Patricia-chan. Please do not say that one thing that'll force me to get that for you."

"Kaito..." She looked at the boy with sparkly eyes. "I want to take it home." She said, extending the last word.

An arrow felt like it pierced through his soul, shattering it to pieces. He couldn't object to that level of cuteness. She brought out the big guns, using a phrase from a series they both knew and loved. Something that moé-inducing would go through any substance and instantly hit the vitals. Kaito had to get that bundle for her. He fiddled out his wallet as he glared at the item.

He thumbed through his bills, trying to get the exact change for it. Yet the price was shockingly high. Once again, it was a perfect example of Japan exploiting that group that needed to own every single piece of limited or rare merchandise. His face began to droop, releasing he had not packed enough money to buy it. Curse those movies and their ridiculous prices. He started to twitch, hoping to get out of the situation. With a step, he ventured into the lion's den.

"You know, Patricia..." Kaito stammered. "If you want the item so much, then shouldn't you get it for yourself? You can easily afford it."

She raised an eyebrow, unsure why he was so hesitate of the situation. A small piece of static electricity emitted from her eyes. She decided to go along with his game of mental ping-pong.

"You can get it though, can't you Kaito-kun? You have plenty of money set up, right?"

He began scratching his chin. "I do, but it's kind of a fixed income. I have to keep my parents happy and not spend everything on otaku products."

Patricia made a disapproving frown from that statement. He felt as if he cared too much about his parents in the whole grand scheme of things, it would be best to simply ignore him though. "Your parents shouldn't care about what you do really..."

"They do though." He tried brushing it off. "But I have to worry about these things. You have plenty of disposable income from your job, don't you?"

"Well, I do..." She said coyly. "But I believe that it's a man responsibility to buy things during a date."

Kaito hands felt tighter. After he paid for the movie and she got those clothes, she has to question money? But he decided to break out a special ace in the hole in the event of these circumstances. "Maybe. However, in today's age when both men and women are equal, can't the woman do the work and earn the money between two people?"

At that point, the foreigner lowered her head in defeat. She wasn't sure how to really respond to that. Her head was slumped down low. Low enough that the three of them wouldn't see the terrorizing scowl on her face. It was a great day, but all of this had to crash down over greed. She felt like storming out of the store at that moment, but wanted to try and take her mind off of this. Ryuta and Misao watched the whole situation rather awkwardly, trying to clear more things up about them.

"You have a job, right?" Misao asked.

"I work in a super market." His eyes bent halfway down. "You aren't going to be asking for anything big at the moment, are you?"

"Nah...I just hope that we never get into that type of situation."

"We?" A shade of crimson started to form on his face. Misao made a small grin from his reaction. He grabbed his wallet out of his pocket and looked at the girl more seriously than ever. "Misao...please forgive me for this."

She watched on as her friend leaned over to Kaito at his depression covered his face. He flashed a rather extravagant bill in front of him, hoping to accept it. He grasped at it immediately, bowing at him several times. He breathed heavily, trying to regain his composure. He hoped a not too venomous snake awaited him when he tried to clear everything out. The boy slowly wrapped his arm around the fujoshi's shoulder. She looked at him with puzzled face, than an irritated one.

"I'm sorry...forget what I said earlier." He deemed. "I'll buy it for you."

Patricia's mouth widened to a large smile as she wrapped around him too. People watched on at the two of them as Kaito asked for a clerk to bring the item down. Ryuta and Misao grinned away as they got the outrageously priced items and walked out of the store. It was going to be rather long walk to get to the curry place. Kaito took easy notice to all this stares he was getting. A sweatdrop became to form around his head.

"I'm going to need a crowbar soon. Feels nice when she's close to me like this though."

* * *

Misao led the way to the specialty restaurant in the center of Tokyo. As the four of them entered inside, they looked with much intrigue at the level of decoration and design. The international flair of the place really showed off the roots of the several variations of the dish. Once they were finished observing everything, a hostess awaited the teenagers.

"Hello there, four in your party? Smoking or Non-smoking?"

"Is there a wait?" Misao asked.

"Nope."

"Non-smoking please!" She requested.

They were seated accordingly, with the couples sitting next to each other. She passed out the menus, which the fanged girl immediately took work into looking for an entree. The others took time to ponder over everything. The waitress continued to do the regular process.

"What would you like to drink?"

"Milk tea." Misao responded.

"Green tea." Ryuta said.

"Cola!"

"Iced tea." Kaito said nonchalantly.

"I'll be back with your drinks and your order." The worker said as she walked away.

"Done." Misao sat flatly as she put her menu down. "I'm ready to order."

"Me too." The others said at different times.

"Speaking of which, I've been wondering about something. The tan skinned girl brought up. "Why do you suppose they call it iced tea? Whenever you get cold tea, ice isn't always in it."

Kaito shrugged. "It's probably called that because tea is normally served hot."

"But it's about fifty-fifty when it comes to serving it." Kusakabe said. "For example, when you get it in bottles or a vending machine, it's cold."

"Of course." Ryuta nodded.

"But ice doesn't come with it!"

"Perhaps culture plays a role." Kaito acknowledged. "We and other countries like Britain and China are known for drinking tea when it's steaming. Patricia-chan, how did tea work for the United States?"

She proudly put her hands on her hips. "We ran on coffee. It's that simple. But we would never, ever drink tea hot. It always comes in bottles or pitchers."

"There's another issue." Kurohiko said. "Iced coffee is trendy nowadays. Do we need to refer to all cold coffee as iced?"

"Have you ever seen cold coffee before?" Misao boldly asked. "Whenever you get coffee as a dessert, it's frozen. Cold coffee is always filled to the brim ice."

"That isn't too much like the real thing." Patricia said. "It's more of like a float or a shake. It's not compared to the straight, hot stuff."

"There are those vending machines as well. When the cup drops and the coffee pours into it?" Kaito said.

"Those are great." The athletic girl stated. "But what does that have to do with it?"

"Well, it's just that..."

"Here are your drinks." The waitress interrupted. She dropped off each glass as they were all panicking and fiddling with their menus. Conversations about drinks made them forget about what they were prepared to order. "What would you like?"

"I'll take the red pork curry, please." Misao said.

"Curry udon! With some additional honey please!" The gaijin requested.

"I'll have chicken katsu-curry." Kaito said.

"Excuse me, what is Madras?" Ryuta asked.

"Madras is a somewhat hot spice mix consisting of mainly chili powder."

"I'll take that then please."

"Thank you for your patronage." The waitress bowed as she took all four of their menus and walked away.

"Where were we?" The chestnut-haired boy brought back up.

"Those vending machines."

"Oh yeah! Uh...well, I meant to say that even though you get tea and coffee in different forms, you have to remember that they are still very different products."

"Not really, Kaito-kun." Patricia said. "To me, it feels like the only difference between the two is that one is made of beans and the other is made with leaves."

"It just seems messed up really." Misao said. "Something like iced doesn't need to be tossed on to an item to make it fancier."

"It's not an issue of class, Kusakabe." Ryuta said. "It's just convenience."

The debate between these beverages raged on for a while. Rich histories of both drinks were referenced upon several times while trying to tie in recent breakthroughs in the media. Culture, marketing, and manufacturing were being dragged into the mix as they tried to figure out the introduction of all this. Tea had just played such a role to human life like coffee or beer that they could help but ponder over the subject. It was fascinating, but rather tiring thinking of every little detail about how it was to be served and drank. Kaito glanced away from his table, to see their waitress carrying the monstrously large circle with all their food.

"Let's just leave it at this." He began. "We refer to the drink as iced tea, because of the fact that it is cold from being chilled or ice has been placed into it. Therefore, iced does not refer to ice being inside the drink at hand, but more of that it had served it's purpose of chilling the drink."

"Sounds good." Ryuta said.

"Okay then." Misao hummed.

The waitress dropped off each dish to their designated person. They grabbed their wooden chopsticks from a basket on the table, separated them, and rubbed them together to avoid splinters on the tongue. In a quick movement, they clapped their hands together.

"Itadakimasu!"

At that moment, they slowly dug their utensils into the many foods they ordered. Delightful chews and "Mmmm..."s came from the four of them as they sample these various kinds of curry. The kick slowly came to them as Kaito, Misao and Patricia took deep sips into their drinks. They took content sighs as began to dive back into the meals. Ryuta on the other hand looked as if he was trying to stab at his food with his chopsticks.

From the sounds of pounding on the table, they looked at the bespectacled otaku as he was having spasms from the reaction. His face was turning red as he stuck out his tongue. He looked at his tea and washed it down his throat, hoping to return to normal like everyone else. However, the curry's pungent flavor flared up again. Ryuta started flapping his hands at his mouth to quell his pain. Misao couldn't help but snicker at the rookie's mistake.

"Get me a drink!" He shouted.

"I'm out of tea." His date firmly responded.

"Me too." His best friend shrugged.

"Uh..." Patricia pushed her soda forward. "You can try this."

"Thank you!" He said quickly.

Ryuta doused his mouth with the carbonated beverage. Unlike what he expected though, it felt like the current wildfire in his mouth had exploded everywhere. He went into severe panic as he looked at his still large amount of food. Misao's smirk turned into a full on laugh.

"Oh Kurohiko-kun! I didn't expect it you to do something like that!" She said while pointing at him.

His eyes sharpened as he noticed Patricia and Kaito chuckling along at his pain. "Why's that?!"

"An expert on spicy food knows that things like soda or beer just worsen the situation over all. The alcohol or the carbonation supercharges the heat."

Ryuta's heightened state of security continued as he waved his hands wildly. Luckily, their waitress was able to see the patron in pain.

"What's wrong?"

"Get me some bread!" He screamed.

"Please, don't mind my friend." Misao spoke up for him. "Can you get the so-called man some milk?"

"Of course." She nodded.

"Milk?" Patricia asked. "I always thought bread was the best solution."

"Not really, Martin-san." The fanged girl explained. "Bread kind of works, but just for about 30 seconds. Then it instantly kicks everything back in. Because it's a solid substance, it kind of pauses the temperature of the heat for a while. Milk on the other hand is a perfect solution for those who can't handle their spices like Kurohiko here. I remember watching a program about it, and they say that milk has this cooling agent that works against the heat caused from peppers to neutralize it. It's because it's a base rather than an acid."

"That's pretty cool." Kaito commented. "My brother and dad love spicy food, so it's good to know there's an equalizer for all that."

The waitress quickly placed a fresh glass of milk on the table. Ryuta greedily grabbed it and nearly chugged half of it done. He wanted that fire on his tongue to die. As he placed it down, he quickly got haunted by an important fact about restaurant.

"The milk will cost you extra with your meal." The employee reminded.

Kaito quickly blinked at that fact. "You guys are paying for it, right?"

"Of course, don't worry about it." Misao cheerfully said. As the waitress went away, they took a good long while to enjoy the rest of their meal.

* * *

In a different section in the vast space of the Tokyo Metropolis, the Setagaya Ward was filled with the lovely sounds of ancient compositions. The Iwasaki family was spending their weekend entertaining their most cherished neighbors. Minami took the day to put one of her more miscellaneous talents to good use. In one of the more lavish rooms of the house, her mom and the Takaras watched on as she displayed her dexterity.

Her slender fingers were perfect as she delicately slid them across the ivory keys of her grand piano. Whether she was tapping or slamming the tones, it all sounded so lovely as the concerto was played in full form. Minami kept her facade as normal, even if she were playing a rather lengthy piece from the great Frédéric Chopin. Her mom watched on in pride as her skills and knowledge would lead her to go many places. Miyuki was pleased as well being able to hear the fruits of her work.

She slowly swayed in motion with the song as it was about to come to it's end. With a few gentle presses of the major and sharp notes, she completed the song. The soft touch echoed through the house as it soothed the three spectators. Minami stepped off the damper pedal and pushed her chair away. She made a long bow, receiving a pleasing amount of applause. The meganekko had to respond to her greatness.

"Impressive as always, Minami-san."

"It's great to live next to such a talented pianist. I never could figure out how to put those songs on my computer but it's great to know I can learn about them here." Yukari stated.

The mint haired girl glanced at her mother. "Mom, if it's ok with you, I'd like to retire to my room."

"Go ahead." Miss Iwasaki nodded. Her daughter always needed space.

Minami sheepishly walked back into her room, ready to take a pleasing nap. She had a severe lack of rest that day from the sudden cold snap that leaked into her room. The girl looked at her hands as she began thinking over the talent she was so skilled at. Her goals were set to be a dedicated and educated nurse. The idea of possibly being a renowned, concert pianist however...that never had crossed her mind.

She stepped into her rather spacious room, instantly dimming the lights. Minami made a stretch as she began taking off some of her proper clothes. Her large, white dog began to slowly nuzzle against her as she began to relax. When she put her back against the wall, she looked across the room at a large, personal mirror she had set up. The image of her fitting in a fancy morning coat suited her quite well. But thinking about it, she discovered the one, clear physical factor about it.

She sighed as she began patting her chest. "I suppose it would be too fitting for me."

As she laid her head against the pillow, her eyes began to squint as she was thinking over more fashions of her in formal wear. She became at ease thinking of a rather interesting principal, most instrumentalists were distinguished by their elegance. To wear such an outfit was a privilege, not a statement. She slowly made a smile, thinking that she never saw a large busted girl in that kind of suit before. It would get in the way. To make matters better, her dog curled into a ball in her bed, making it the perfect insulation.

Her mom creaked open the door, being sure to turn everything off. However, she couldn't help but notice the delightful pose she was in. She turned her head, wagging her finger at the two pink haired girls. The door was fully opened now. Yukari couldn't help but giggle at the situation. She illuminated the room slightly more, in order for her to get a nice high resolution picture to stay on her cell phone. Miyuki herself looked on in glee at the pose.

"She's so peaceful when she's napping." Iwasaki-san said.

"She was always like that when she slept." Miyuki added.

"Not to mention that it's cute." Yukari said.

The three of them agreed to the truth of that. Her mom slowly closed the door, leaving the quiet girl to her slumber.

* * *

"Shoot. Well, this is my stop." Misao mournfully said.

A blanket of twilight covered over the night sky of cities of Japan. The four teenagers concluded their evening by waiting for the subway. Misao and Ryuta were going to walk home together, so Patricia and Kaito waited with them for the very last stop. It was fortunate enough to them that an exit wasn't too far from the apartment complex. As they two of them entered the train, they waved as the couples parted ways.

Kaito and Patricia walked up the steps from the underground station. They continued holding hands through the lightened streets of Japan. It was a nice day all around, even if it had moments like a suspended rollercoaster. Kaito put his hand on his face as he was still concerned over the women he hung out with. Things had gone so well right now; that he knew this would slip out. It was going well between them; there was no point in cutting it off.

It occurred to him how their relationship could work and extend. He knew Patricia; she wasn't a discrete type of person. It was beginning to creep towards him how long this would last. This wasn't one-sided either, it was going to go nowhere else but up. Speaking of which, the two of them entered into the building and were prepared to go up the elevator. They leaned against the walls as they watched the doors closed. Patricia looked at the distressed Kaito, deciding to cheer him up.

"Did you have a good day today, Kaito-kun?" She asked, energetic as usual.

"Oh yeah. It was great. Pretty good all around, we should go again to that curry place."

"I enjoyed it too. I was a little worried about something though." She admitted, putting her hand on her shoulder.

"Why's that?" He said with new found curiosity.

"With the stores really...since we care about different things, are we going to have trouble doing this in the future?

He gritted his teeth coming to this roadblock. The miasma of uncertainty started to double in size with that simple utterance. Images of the others he felt fond were becoming more bright. Still, he pictured the beauty he had been with. He sighed it off, and spoke normally.

"I'll always be willing to do things with you Patricia-chan." Kaito said, slowly resting his arms on her shoulders.

"Will you?"

"Of course. When we spend time together, you know that it's special. We are different though, so we will have different tastes."

"I'll remember that." She said, resting her head against him.

"It just makes me kind of sad we won't always be able to do this."

"Silly..." She taunted. "We clearly can."

"This will last." He breathed. "When I think about it..."

"Yes?"

"There's a good chance that when I go to college, my parents might want me out of the house. And when that happens..."

Patricia lit up hearing that news. "It works out! It totally works out!"

"Patricia..." He said softly, preparing her.

He shift his arms, positioning her in front of him. His head bent down, putting his lips into motion as they contacted with her. The blonde immediately acknowledged it, dropping her bag and embarrassing her. Her hands moved upward breezing through his chestnut hair. Kaito kept it simple, lightly caressing the top of her back. After the formalities, they moved towards a new step.

Kaito's hands transformed from the delicate scratches to gentle press of his palms on her shoulder blades. Their kissing accelerated, moving in rapid fire action from the two of them. Her fingers started to move more loosely and she slid them down around his face. From the passion however, they made a slight mistake that novice kissers were bound to make. Kaito and Patricia's teeth bumped together from the strong movement.

They stopped for a second to understand each other. The boy covered his mouth after making a mistake like that. Yet within a few seconds, they giggled the whole experience off. The two of them resumed, continuing to fluently move their bodies to the whole act. It was a great way to cap off the lovely experience of this Sunday. She planted herself off of him, lovingly staring into his eyes. It was brief, but it was simply amazing how one's feelings can put anyone into such a state of ecstasy.

A ding from the elevator signaled that they were on the top floor. Patricia grabbed her bags, checking the clothes to make sure that all of them were there. As she exited out of the metal box, she turned and gave Kaito a slight wave. He returned it with his own wave, smiling exuberantly. As the doors closed, the boy slowly slid down the back of the elevator. He titled his head as he happily thought about what had transpired.

"Oh, who am I fooling? I'm happy with this. I can't imagine it any other way."

As he was thinking, he didn't bother to notice that as he was going down, the elevator stopped again. A tall, silver haired student sighed as he entered inside.

"Forgot to get my manga from the lob-"

He stopped dead in his tracks, seeing the boy mindless smiling at that awkward angle. He didn't want to take any chances, so he quickly exited out of the elevator before it descended down. Kaito's mind and body was completely floating for the rest of the night.

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed that. I wouldn't fret too much about other pairings in the show, cause I can always create stories focusing on alternate routes taken. On a smaller note, this is probably one of few instances where you can see Minami being cute without using Yutaka. And if you caught any of the references made, points go to you.

Review and critique please! Inform me if you see a grammar/spelling error. Nearly forget, credit goes to Max for giving me idea of the tea conversation.


	28. Yasuhiro Kaito no Himitsu

Hey guys. Sorry for the delay, but we are getting the home stretch here. I want to think everything through so I want to be prepped and give you all a happy and satisfying ending. A couple more chapters to go. I apologize again for being late, but it happens sometimes. College is starting to ride me too and that comes first. But the following ones should come in on time.

**Disclaimer: Kaito and Ryuta are property of Myself. I do not own anything else, cept my other fics which have been neglected. -.-**

* * *

**Chapter 28: Yasuhiro Kaito no Himitsu**

The elder Hiiragi twin stretched her back as she stood up from her chair. It was a very long weekend of studying. What made it more irritating was dealing with her twin and Konata being apathetic and unfocused. She hoped that they would of worked successfully on the tests that the seniors were assigned today. Kagami bent her knees to her knapsack to exchange his biology textbook for a small bento.

Instead of going with her normal slew of friends, she sat herself beside Misao and Ayano. She was planning a big event later in the week with Konata, Tsukasa and Miyuki. It would be best to spend some time with her other friends to keep the suspense at a minimum. It wasn't like she had any problems with Misao and Ayano, it's just that she was too used to everyone else. As she sat next to them, she couldn't help but notice the fanged girl humming a sweet tune.

Her orange haired friend commented. "You seem to be in high spirits today, Misa-chan."

"Of course I am!" She responded happily.

"Why's that?" Kagami asked, inserting herself in the conversation.

The tan girl placed a sky-blue bento on her desk before speaking. "I've simply had a pretty good weekend. Yesterday I had to do some studying for that test we had, but I was pretty confident when I actually took the thing!" As she was explaining this, her smile became wide seeing her favorite treat inside of the little box. "And it just got even better!"

"That's good." The tsundere nodded. "Sometimes I worry about your academics."

"I'm not as stupid as your think, Hiiragi." She giggled.

"So what else did you do?" Ayano mentioned. "Studying usually bores you to tears."

"Before I studied, I had an incredibly fun day..." She said. Misao's head peaked around the room, looking for that special person she was with that day. She shrugged it off as she focused back on her friends. "Ah well, he isn't here right now."

"_He?_" Kagami said rattled.

"You know Kirohiko?" She said.

"Oh yeah, I've seen him before."

"Me and him went on this fantastic date yesterday..." She said, her voice amplifying the amount of glee.

"I'm happy for you, Misa-chan." Ayano said, with her ever-present smile. "What did you do exactly?"

"Well, first we had to meet up at that giant theater in Ikebukuro. Then we sat around and talked for a bit. After we got out of the theater, we when to this big department store to shop for clothes. It had some otaku products too, but I don't really have a problem with that. Then we went to this restaurant that specializes in curry that I always go to. It was funny...Ryuta underestimated the heat of his curry and was basically watering for a glass of milk. Then we just hung out until about nighttime when he walked me home. It was a bit uncomfortable at the end since he met my parents, but they like him so it was all good."

Kagami removed the top from her own bento. "I see. Well, I'm glad that you had a good time. Finding someone who's nice."

"Do you have any major plans?" Ayano asked.

"Not really." Misao said. "It's a fresh relationship so it's best to keep everything casual."

"That's the best thing to do." Kagami nodded.

"I was a little worried though." Misao added.

"Why's that?" The twin said.

"It was a double date."

Ayano put her head forward in interest. "I always thought that married couples would do something like that. Never really heard of people doing that."

"Did he suggest this or what?" Kagami said.

"He did. I was a bit unsure at first, but he suggested doing a double date in order to keep thing less personal." She paused for a second to toss a meatball in her mouth. "But I don't really regret it. It was kind of lucky though he wasn't too distracted or anything."

"Did he ignore you at all?" Ayano assumed.

"Nah, nah...you see, Yasuhiro is his friend. So I was hoping they wouldn't otaku out or anything."

"Oh well, that's good I suppose." Kagami nodded. "If Kaito is his friend, then he should be a nice guy."

"He is." She said, sampling another piece of her lunch. "I was a little bit surprised to see him and Martin-san join us though. Kept Ryuta from getting distracted though."

"I hope he didn't affect your relationship." Ayano said.

"It was pretty smooth for us really." Misao said, taking a glance at her her twin-tailed friend. She looked to be completely frozen from hearing the news.

Kagami had a bit of difficulty piecing that together. Yasuhiro Kaito and Patricia Martin? Something was very offsetting about that picture. He had been spending all of that time with her and Konata...it just seems so random that after what had transpired he had been dating Patricia-san. It made her feel like a bunch of cicadas buzzing around in her head as she starting putting these things together. He did end up staying at her apartment in the end...where she lives _alone_. Kaito had been spending more time with his own friends rather than them. It appeared like such an underhanded tactic going for her and just using her set of friends for leverage.

And she was about to go off on a rather lengthy rant about the news...she remembered something. That day a few months ago when he went to her, conflicted over his issues with Konata. He had no trouble pouring out his feelings to her, as if that cloud of mistreat didn't even exist from the big fiasco at Comiket. It's not like he would ignore Kagami and how she was. It was strange though from how this all had happened. It made her groan knowing she would have to give this information to Konata later.

"What's the problem, Hiiragi?" Misao said.

"Well, I'm just a little surprised is all. I didn't know he felt that way towards Patricia-san."

"Ah, you have a crush on him then?" Misao said with a big grin.

"No!" She said hastily.

Ayano tilted her head, a bit surprised. "Are you sure Hiiragi-chan?"

Kagami began twirling one of her twin tails like a concerned anti-terrorist captain. "It's not like I haven't considered it..."

"But?!" Misao saying with her fang sticking out.

"I just never really got into a big relationship with him."

"That's it?"

"That's it?" Kagami responded, harshly.

"Eh..." Misao said with a lackluster tone. "I was just expecting like this big, emotional burst from you about how you wish you were in Kaito's arms. Since you hang out with him and Chibikko all the time, I thought you would be more irritated from this."

Ayano slowly sweat dropped as she knew what was about to happen. Kagami was beginning to flare with anger as Misao had the gall to say something like that about boyfriends. Misao now had a girlfriend and seemed to expect some big rant from someone like Kagami, as if it were some kind of spectacle. The tan girl herself though, was beginning to ponder over if this whole issue with Kaito and Patty was a secret.

"Just because I hang out with some guy, does not have to mean I want to fall in love with him!" The tsundere began. "Why do people always have to assume that if someone of the opposite sex hangs out with you, they have to assume he's going to be your boyfriend. I'm not always going to cry and fret over _everyone _who gets involved in my life. Kaito is just a nice guy. Now with him, I would of considered being with him. But it didn't happen, so I'm not going to beat myself over it."

"Ok, ok." Misao backed down.

"And another thing!" She said. "You shouldn't use me as entertainment with these kinds of things! Besides, if you have boyfriend qualms, ask Ayano!"

Misao turned to her best friend blankly, as if she never thought of it. "So, could you tell me about your boyfriend then?"

"Oh, he's-" Ayano began before everyone in the class was interrupted by the sound of a roaring siren.

Kagami and Misao groaned, getting up from there seats. It cut off the conversation at a good time, but that sound was still annoying. Curse those fire drills.

* * *

In a more cramped section of the Saitama Prefecture, a carmine haired woman along with a brown hair woman of equal age entered into a high end restaurant. It was dimly-lit, but had quite an uplifting mood from the light jazz playing in the background. They sat down thusly as they organized through everything. The burnt redhead pulled out a briefcase filled with papers while the other woman was looking over the menu.

"It's good to see you as always, Kusakabe-san." She said with an appropriate tone.

"No problem, Sakiko." She responded. "Even if we are doing this deal, it's nice to hang out with a friend."

"I'm flattered." She smiled.

"May I take your orders?" A waitress offered them.

"I'll have amazake and a medium-sized salad please." The businesswoman said.

"Sea bream and salmon sashimi and barley tea." Kusakabe requested.

As the waitress walked away, prepared to take the order to the kitchen, the two women decided to get to work. Sakiko wanted to gossip and catch up with her friend, but business did have to come up first. She had to make that sale so she wouldn't lose time. Every rule of financial advising was soaked up in her mind. While waiting for their food, they went to work trying to figure out the reason for this.

"So Kusakabe-san, you want to make a 401k. Why is that?"

"You know my husband, he's getting old. Our daughter is going to college to, so it's best to set up something that will keep the two of us secure. Since he gets all the money, it's important that I do my part of the work and handle the taxes."

"More wives have been coming to me like that. It's quite understandable."

"There's no problem in doing this, is there Yasuhiro-san?" She responded kindly.

"Of course I will." She smiled.

"Oh, look! The food is here!"

The two moms looked happy as they were being served lunch. As they were slowly eating through their expensive meals, they talked in great detail through what had been going through their lives. Family, friends, past experiences, the older women laughed on as they reminisced through the various days they had lived. Sakiko properly paid for the lunch, like any courteous host would do. Before they were about to disperse, they had one last conversation.

"You be sure to say hello to Kaito for me." Kusakabe-san said.

"Do the same for Misao. How has she been lately?"

"She's been great!" She said with enthusiasm. "She actually got a boyfriend recently."

"Who?"

"Kaito's friend Ryuta."

"Oh, that's nice. I wonder if he knows."

"He knows. He was there when they had their date with his girlfriend."

An awry, yet attentive smile formed across her face. "Oh really?"

* * *

Kagami took a rather deep gulp as her shaky hand slowly moved towards the Izumi's doorknob. The information told from Misao was so volatile that she had to press it on to Konata. She knew that her best friend cared for Kaito a great deal, so she had to know. It was just a shame that she was sick...it was like adding a second pile of laundry to an already large pile. All of it occurring without notice, as well.

The door slowly opened as the tsundere tip-toed into the house. It was well lit, yet barren from Sojiro going off to work. She could barely hear anything as she sifted through most of the rooms. When she came to the last room, she could lightly hear the hiss of the television. The bottom was emitting light, showing that Konata was clearly inside of it. Kagami made a sigh, knowing what to expect.

When she entered inside, it was beyond what she expected. The tv was on, but her butt wasn't placed in front of it or the computer. She was breathing slowly fully equipped with a wet rag on her forehead. The otaku couldn't even notice her friend walking in as she made a hoarse bellow. Kagami slowly walked to her, as she watched over her friend curled up in her little bed. She couldn't help but think to herself:

"Wow, so she's really sick. I dare say...she looks kind of cute all delicate like that. I shouldn't be thinking this though; I have to tell her about what happened. It's a shame though."

Kagami lowered her head, to get the girl's attention. "Konata, are you ok?"

She groaned once again as her eyelids began to flicker. As they fully opened, she was relieved to see the head of her twin-tailed friend. "Ah...Kagamin. It's nice to have you hear."

"You're sick so I decided to visit."

Konata wanted to smirk, but had to cough. "Good to know that you care." She said with a bit of snarkyness.

Even though she felt like critiquing her, she took pity on her being sick. "I seriously needed to see you today."

"Hmm? Why's that?"

"Well, I think you need to prepare yourself for this."

"Ah." She acknowledge. She positioned herself upwards and pointed at her nearby table. "Then can you get me a cup of tea?"

Kagami blinked from that ho-hum response. "What?"

"May as well get me some tea if we are to prepare for this." She shrugged. Her eyes began to glitter though as she cuffed her hands together. "Will you get some tea for this poor soul, Kagamin?"

The girl sweat dropped from the response. "As long as you don't spit the tea in my face."

Kagami walked out of the room and into the kitchen. She was grateful atleast that she could make a pot of tea without Konata giving her lip. As she moved it to the stove though, she couldn't help but think about the situation at hand. Despite the fact she had to deliver groundbreaking news, she was calm as ever. It made her feel a bit worried as there are some people who mask their sadness...but she hoped that wouldn't be the case with her. Her thought bubble popped, hearing the sound of the steam moving insanely fast.

She took it off the stove, carefully pouring two cups of tea for herself and her sickly friend. Walking into her room, she noticed Konata was a bit more active now. She was looking over her shelves of DVDs with the damp rag to the side. Her face was still steamy, but she looked well enough to move around the room. She was in anticipation as Kagami brought in the two cups of tea. Konata accepted the cup of tea, drinking deeply into it. The tea cup was then slammed on the table as she looked anxiously at Kagami again.

"That was quick..."

"Can you get me another, Kagamin?"

"If you are sick, how could you take down that tea so quickly."

"Well, when you are about to be revealed important information, then your belly has to be filled with four strong cups of tea. It's what's to be done." She said with a delightful smile.

Kagami's eyes slanted. "No."

"Fine..." She rolled her eyes plainly. "What do you plan to tell me?"

"Well, you see..." Kagami started to explain. She pressed her index fingers together as she never knew how to confess such things. "Kaito-san is know pre-occupied."

"He's that kind of guy. Considering how much he plays video games he would always be occupied."

"Not like that." She sighed.

"Then what?"

"Well..." She began, starting to blush. "And it's not that if I know this is true or not! It could be a rumor!"

"What, Kagami?"

"He and Patricia-san were," She took a large gulping before staring into her friend's emerald eyes. "Dating."

Konata's smile changed to more of a blank face. She could see some of the anguish from Kagami as her face was rather close to hers. It was nice to know how much the tsundere had cared for her, but it didn't completely heal what happened at hand. The one great male friend she had known for months, was dating another girl who she known very well with a very similar mindset. She closed her eyes and put her hand on her chin, not sure how to respond from all this. Kagami panicked, not seeing her like this very often.

"Konata, if you want to talk about this..."

"No no, it's not just that." The small otaku said, moving her hand in front of her. "It's just odd really."

"That's how I thought!"

"I mean...its great and all that the two of them are together." She rambled. "It's just made me wonder about love lately. I do think about him from time to time. I just feel all wrinkled up or something from all this."

"If you want to cry about this, you can." Kagami suggested.

"I don't feel like crying really." She said honestly. "I just feel more confused about everything. I haven't felt this seriously about something before."

"Do you want me to do anything?" She offered.

"Hmm..." Konata said, with her eyes now open. "Get that DVD over there."

"Which one?"

"It's on the fourth shelf, the third from the right."

Kagami stood briefly from her bed as she moved to the big shelf of DVDs. As she moved her finger around trying to find the disc, she had a barrage of suggestions of where to find it from her sick friend. She pulled it out successfully, looking at the disc. She couldn't remember watching the anime series, but she did recall reading a few of the light novels from it. Her head looked back down on Konata.

"This one?"

"Yeah." Konata said. "Put it in. If I want to get my mind off something, that's the best way to do it."

* * *

Iwao turned his head from his newspaper as he heard the doorbell go off. He didn't flinch, hearing the key enter the lock and turn all the way around. The door opened, following with the sounds of plastic hitting linoleum and bags dropping on the floor. Sakiko sighed as she walked in to a different room to change. It was a long day due to the recent economic drop. It was a good day though from hanging out with one of her friends.

She yawned heavily as she came back to reconcile with her husband. Sakiko poured herself a soothing cup of tea to set the atmosphere.

"Good afternoon." She smiled.

"Hello honey." Iwao greeted, standing up and giving her a small peck.

"Work was crazy today. I've had three appointments to do. So many phone calls..." She groaned.

"It happens." Iwao said.

"It was good being able to eat a nice lunch for once, but I just worn out from all this. I should think about hiring more staff."

"We are a bit tight, I wouldn't recommend it."

"We have plenty of money, so I may consider it."

"Eh..." He scowled. Since he was retired, he was never really informed that much about the financial situation.

"I've just been considering it lately because of the recent business closing though."

"Oh yeah, I've read about that." He nodded. "The CEO got arrested and everything. Did you have to help a lot of people with selling stocks?"

"It varied." Sakiko said. "It would depend on how much the market would recover. If it recovered, I would of recommended that everyone sell what they had. If it didn't rise back up though, I told everyone to just hold on to it for another time."

"Seems like there's a lot of tragedy going on right now. Did you know what I read in the paper?"

"What?"

"Apparently the heir to the Kazehana business chain has been kidnapped."

"That's terrible."

"Not sure what they'll do. But they have enough money to pay off any ransom."

The two of them had a good laugh over that state, even with the current economic health of Japan. Sakiko looked down at her drink though as she had to tell her husband the big news. He would never respond to change very well. She didn't want him to get extremely moody or in an annoying fit. It's was a good thing they had an additional bedroom.

"Iwao, I have to tell you something important with our son."

"What's that Sakiko?"

She began twirling a side of her hair. "Kaito is finally seeing a girl."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" He said with enthusiasm. "I was wondering if he was getting too weird to hang out with the other sex, so the fact that he's dating is great! Is he dating that Takara girl?"

"Actually, no."

"Then who?"

"He's dating this girl called Patricia Martin."

He scratched his nose. "Martin...Martin...is he dating some kind of foreigner?"

"I think she's an American exchange student."

"Well, that's strange." He said with his smile at a minimum. "Is there anything special about her?"

"Kusakabe-san explained that she's just the right kind of girl to hang out with him. They've said she's quite the looker, but just like Kaito when it comes to hobbies. Wasn't expect her to be such a match for him...she even included that her breasts are actually bigger than her daughter's."

"Ugh..." Iwao said, laying down his paper. "Why would do all of this behind our back..."

"I'm more of irritated with how he got to know her. Apparently, while our house was flooded, he was spending most of his time around her. Seemed like after school, what he would do is hang out with her for the rest of the day."

"He's been lying to us too?!" Iwao said, now with outrage. "I'm going to have to nail drills of morals into his head to get him to learn."

"Now calm down...this is the first real girlfriend he's had, I don't think we need to force all this for him."

"Kaito is getting punished either way!"

"It's fine with me, but I do think we need to work this out before we talk to him."

"He'll be getting it soon." The father grumbled, trying to conceive all of this evil and misinformation. Of all the things he wanted he son to do, why did it have to be pulled off like this?

* * *

Konata and Kagami watched on at the anime at the otaku's request with rather different values. Kagami showed a rather normal face of content, not knowing much about the series ahead of time. Oddly enough, Konata was rather pouting watching on at the long spectacle of the anime. She sighed as she watched on as the pink haired girl was cycling again through the same old song and dance. She was dealing with her boy interacting with several other girls around the academy, causing her to go into a jealous tantrum.

They were at the very last scene where the two protagonists were in a large meadow. They reconciled after an insane battle that took place. Yet instead of feelings of joy, they pink haired mage felt nothing but rage towards the boy. The swordsman looked in worry as the magician felt twice as tall. Not to mention she could sense that she was fifty times more menacing. Even if it was odd, the amount of rage was just plain out of place.

_"Oh really? Thank goodness, eh?"_ She said with a hauntingly low tone. _"This is how it is. A-a-a big breasted fairy, right?"_

Even with her friend's response, her voice began more threatening with each passing statement. _"You love big tits, right? You love big tits, VERY MUCH, RIGHT?! THEN YOU CAN JUST GO AND LIVE FOREVER WITH THAT FAIRY!" _

The two girls watched on as the shockwaves echoed throughout the country side. A tender, reconciliation ruined from the mere mention of body parts the female lead didn't have. Kagami turned her head as the ending theme started to play, seeing a red-faced Konata. This was more related to anger, however, than to her disappearing sickness. Her hands started to crinkle as she moved them in front of her cheeks in embarrassment. She whined.

"Oh...this series plunged so hard from the first season."

"I never got too far, what happened after that?" Kagami said in interest.

"They decided to focus around nothing but fanservice, even when they had a perfectly good plot to work with."

"That can be a buzz kill."

"And that's not the worst part."

"Huh?"

"Why does the main character have to be such a gross representation to tsunderes everywhere?"

Kagami felt a bit more confused, especially hearing that last word. "How so?"

"Not all tsunderes are like that. Just because she's made famous by a seiyuu does not mean all characters should be affected that way. The tsunderes I know aren't insanely moody or jealous at the slightest change. It just irritates me to death."

Kagami felt a bit softer, trying to figure all this out. "So why did you want to watch this, even if you know it would make you mad?"

"The best way to take your mind of something is to vent. And I get any anime I try to so it was the first thing I would think of. I would have tried a more convoluted harem series, but at least it has that fun little shock value ending."

"I see." She said plainly. The lilac haired girl started to blush, thinking again over her words. "Hey Konata..."

"Hmm?"

"When you mean...tsunderes you know, does that mean me? Or are you just talking about other characters you've seen? I'm just kind of curious since you call me that all the time."

"Of course I mean you."

"Really?" She said with anticipation.

"You are the type of person where even if you may have a few huffy moments, I know for a fact that you are very kind type of girl. It makes me do feel for you whenever you are deep in thought, because you care so much about the people around you. So because of that, I'm glad that my best friend is a toppling pillar of how a caring person should be."

Kagami felt a bit choked up from hearing those lovely words from Konata. Even if she was childish and she was thinking about a complete otaku term...it was kind to hear. She always had an inkling about how deep their relationship was, but wasn't sure how to react to the information.

"Konata. I'm, I'm just so glad you know." She said, with an expectedly high pitch.

"It's fine." Konata said with a simple smile.

"I care for you unlike so many other people in the world."

Konata started to blush, but made a big grin thinking of something naughty to do to make the scene complete. A girl in her perfect _deredere_ mode would be hard to resist.

"You know, Kagamin."

"What's that?"

"I'm not wearing any bottoms." She said in a sultry tone.

"Wh-wh-why would you tell me that?!" She was instantly embarrassed.

"I just thought...you would like to see."

Kagami wasn't sure how to react from that kind of statement. It was so bold, so insane. So like Konata. She took a deep breath as she looked into her best friend's eyes. She knew the moment, laying her back against the headboard. Her arm was lifted as if she were offering the blanked to her. The tsundere knew the opportunity was great, but it still felt so out of place. With a physique like that too, she was always curious on what it would be like. She held her hand against her heart, hoping the shock wouldn't be too much.

The cover was removed.

* * *

Hiyori gasped heavily as she shook her head in the classroom. Something so graphic during a mild daydream had her in a completely state of panic. She was in a bit of a cold sweat, particular quite uncomfortable in a room packed with students in her serafuku. The meganekko blinked around as she glanced at everyone's books and papers. Her teacher was writing on the chalkboard a set of problems for her to do. But her state of shock made her do a very audible gasp.

"Well, Tamura..." The teacher said dismissingly. "If you have the need to interrupt class, then you surely must know the work at hand. What's the answer to the first problem?"

Hiyori moved her hands wildly trying to calculate the answer to the math on the board. She was completely caught off guard from her wonderful daydream that she hadn't taken the reality of her work into consideration. The teacher groaned heavily as he pointed at her.

"Tamura, go stand in the hallway."

The fujoshi quivered up as she took the walk of shame towards the door. Her overactive, perverted imagination had gotten the best of her once again.

* * *

Hehehe...hope you had fun with that one. If you are confused, yes, Kagami did tell Konata about what had happened between Kaito and Patty and they still watched anime. The additional stuff and confession though was just the fujoshi's brain in action.

This was kind of a ranty chapter for me, because a lot of things have been nibbling away at my shins lately. I've been more frustrated with how people having been treating Kagami, the way to balance the imminent drama, and Kale. Kale and I's relationship has dissolved now, so I added that stuff in the 4th scene to give an excuse for the lack of Lucky Channels. Sorry people, stuff happens. I do have to commend you all though that if you want to know about my personal thoughts, please send me a PM.

To anyone who can name the references, win sandviches go to you.

Please review, critique, and give your on thoughts. Thanks for reading!


	29. TBD

Yep, I've updated. This chapter was quite the challenge since it was hard to think of dialogue and scenes to work with. It was quite frustrating to come with these kinds of things since...I've never actually finished a fanfiction before. It's crazy but, I haven't but it was just difficult to come up with the right dialogue and extra scenes. I have to do a couple of thanks to weluvgirlswithglasses and Animesuki for ideas and vital info. I also hoped that my one shots, The Dark Chocolate and Vigorous Intent kept you all entertained.

I've been a bit more reference happy to so kudos to Max and KeRose. The anime I was parodying in the last chapter was The Familiar of Zero/Zero no Tsukaima. I haven't really watched it, but it's one of those series that had a really good first season but then really faultered afterwards. And a lot of it's appeal comes from seiyuu Rie Kugimiya and her tendency to voice tsunderes. Louise is quite on the extreme-side, so I like making fun of her a lot. The other reference I made back around the end of Chapter 26 was that to Soul Eater. (Which, the Lucky Star OVA actually referenced too) It might just be me, but I just so a load of similarities between the two Pattys.

So anyway, I would like to promise here and now that I will try and finish the story by the end of October. This has been quite a thrill ride, but no worries, I have no intentions on leaving the Lucky Star archives. Thanks again to all you loyal and newcoming readers!

This chapter has a lot of alternating scenes and dialogue, so have fun with it. However, I am also really tired so typing errors may exist. I am giving you all permission to smash me with your grammar hammer for any mistake I need to edit or change or delete.

**Disclaimer: **Yoshimizu Kagami owns Lucky Star, while I do not. I only own Kaito and Ryuta-kun. Support the official release.

* * *

**Chapter 29: T.B.D.**

"Ok then, so later tonight? Sounds good. Yeah...yeah, I'll get the food. See you later."

Kaito closed his phone as he walked away from the bus stop. He yawned while stretching his back and bending his neck. He had just planned to meet up with his friends at Taichi's house to spend the night and get in some honest play time. They planned to tackle the biggest obstacle the game had, where you have to play for 6 straight hours playing through the entire set list. He wanted to take a nap to rest up for the whole event since it would be all night.

It was strange to plan all of this on a school day, but he was in luck for the most part. Taichi's parents didn't care so much what happened as long as they didn't make too much noise. Kuroi and Sakuraba-sensei did not any assign any homework to take a break from there latest test. Everything was set in place for a perfect night of relaxation. He moved to the front of his house where he opened the door and entered the kitchen.

He wanted to take that nap as soon as possible, so he poured himself a cup of cold tea and walked towards his bedroom. Kaito unbuttoned his uniform as he changed into something more casual. Once that was done, he took a deep sip of his drink and rested his back on his soft bed. Just as he was about to sleep, he heard a knock at the door.

"Kaito? Can we talk to you?" His mom asked.

"Yeah, one second." He acknowledged. Kaito didn't really want to talk to them as he wanted to sleep without having to worry about assault. He grunted as he unlocked the door and sat back on the bed. "Come in."

Sakiko and Iwao entered in with two completely different looks. The mother had her arms drooped down as she rested her hands on her hips. The dad had his arms crossed with fire dancing around in his eyes. Whatever information they had on him, Kaito had to look and feel confident. At least they didn't know he had plans for later.

"Kaito...we have to talk about something."

"What is it mom?"

"There's something we need to know." Iwao said bluntly. "These, girls you've been hanging out with. Have you been doing anything with them?"

"Like what?"

"We've been wondering if you have been...more than just friends." Sakiko suggested.

"Not really." Kaito dismissed.

Iwao clutched his fists. "Well, that doesn't make a lot of sense. If you don't have plans to do anything with them, why hang out with them?"

Kaito cocked an eyebrow at his dad. "Times have changed."

"Do you like anything particular about them though?" His mother brought up.

"Well...they are all nice." He listed off. "Most of them are very cute, some of them can cook, some of them are rich and some of them are otakus like I am."

"Girl otakus exist?"

"Yes...they do dad." Kaito said, with a drop of anger in his voice.

"We just want you to be truthful about this, Kaito." Sakiko said. "If you feel concerned about these girls, you can talk to us about it."

"That's right." Iwao nodded.

"Well, let's say...I am interested in one of these girls." Kaito started.

The two parents smiled knowing they've eased him into this. If they could get him to admit about this girl, then they would have a right to discipline him.

"Can you describe her for us?" Iwao asked.

"She's...perfect." He smiled. "Everything about her is just great. She's beautiful, she's sweet, not to mention that she's an absolute otaku like myself."

"Otaku..." The dad grunted. He hated hearing that word.

"Have we met her before?" Sakiko said.

"Nope."

"How did you two meet?"

"Kona-chan introduced us."

"A classmate?"

"Actually, no. She's a first year. Yet she and Konata work at the same place. It's odd though, because you would think she's my age since she's taller than most other people I know."

"Anything else special about her?" His dad requested.

"She might be taller that other people because she's from America, but everyone's different."

Bingo. That's just how she was described from Misao's mom. A young, bombshell of a girl from the United States who Kaito was dating. Not only would they confirm that, but they would also find out what had happened during the month their house was being repaired. The Yasuhiro elders looked at each other with grins as they looked back at Kaito. He was currently in a state of confusion from the silence.

"Kaito, we've known about this girl." Sakiko revealed.

"I...I see." He said, looking away from them. Despite his appearance, his mind was spewing profanities. "How exactly?"

"Oh, Kusakabe-chan told me." She admitted.

"Damn..."

"Why damn?" His dad asked.

"She wasn't supposed to tell anyone!"

"Why is that son? You ashamed of your girlfriend or something?" He said, with a mocking tone.

"No, no! I care for her a lot! It's just that..."

"Just that what?" His mom asked.

Kaito sighed, as he pressed his fingers against his head. "What happened is that, we bonded in a rather...deceitful way. I was never at Ryuta's house. She offered to let me stay with her on account of how my misfortune and how she lives alone. It was some kind of great opportunity. Granted, I had to act like a butler, but I don't regret that. I'm happy with what turned out. I love her dearly and I just wanted to be there for her."

"So why wouldn't you tell us?" Iwao asked.

"I don't think you guys would be keen on the idea of me staying with someone you didn't know."

The dad scorned back at him. "Damn right."

"I know I lied and don't know what would have really happened, but it turned out all right. And now I have this wonderful girlfriend who I can love every day."

"Kaito...I can forgive you for that." Sakiko said.

"What?!" Both males said.

"I wish you didn't lie to me, I mean...you got of gotten hurt or your money could of been stolen, or worse! But you came back to us safe. And if you love this girl and she loves you then...I think that it's all right. The fact that you took this risk to be close to her is kind of romantic."

"Mom..."

"Oh, come on Sakiko." Iwao interjected. "Don't go all soft on him just because of this girl."

"I'm not; I'm just respecting him for what happened. He'll still get punished."

"But you know that the girl is going to be nothing but trouble for him!"

"What?" The other two asked.

"This...gaijin otaku as you've described sounds like she's no good. From Kusakabe's description, she sounds like some kind of brainless clone. You dating her will get you nowhere."

"How dare you!" Kaito growled.

"Iwao!"

"Unless she's already slept with you." He stared down at her.

"She has." Kaito admitted. Sakiko looked at him with total fright.

"You haven't, had you?!"

"We've slept in the same room. I'm still in school, what do you think I am, stupid?"

"If you are dating her, it sounds like it." His dad scoffed.

"Where do you get off judging Patricia!?" Kaito shouted, bring names into this.

"Are you telling me that you are more irritated about our son dating a foreigner than him going behind of our backs for a month?"

"Why do women have to care so much about lies!?" The old man showed his teeth.

"You don't know anything about how she's such a gentle, caring person! Hell, I've know some girls in the same class who look like boys and make me look like a sexual deviant. Just because she's curvy girl who just doesn't happen to be from this country, it does not mean it's a bad thing! Otakus can be anybody!"

"Ugh..." Iwao stepped back. "If you were dating that Takara girl and she happened to be a closet otaku; that would have been fine. I know she's destined to greatness. But you've just blindsided me with some evil combination!"

"I can't take this anymore, just leave my room!" Kaito demanded!

As the two parents were an inch from the doorway, Kaito slammed it hard on the both of them. They were a bit intimidated on the subject, but they quickly went back at each others throats on the subject. Kaito groaned as he rested back down in his bed, completely in an opposite mood from a few minutes ago. He could hear them bickering on and on about what was worse between the whos and the whats.

It's not like it matter too much to him anyway. He loved Patricia and no matter what would happen, he would be by her side. Parents weren't too much of the issue here. He pressed his face into the pillow reminded of another fear. His friends. Who knows what Konata and Kagami were ready to say upon when he would go to school, that Kusakabe girl having to blab everything with that mouth of her's. As he drifted off to sleep, he hoped for one simple solution. That he would be left off the hook with little consequence.

* * *

Kaito looked over at his desktop clock as he lifted his head from the desk. It was quite late considering the time. The boy slumped from his chair to slip into something more sociable for the public. One advantage of having old parents is knowing that they go to bed early. He pressed against the wall as he shoved the door open and shut. He had to make the least amount of sound in order to sneak out of the house.

Tip-toeing through the rooms he made sure not to hit anything. His mom could of been sleeping somewhere else than where she normally sleeps. Kaito made a quick brain check to see if he had everything. Money, phone, keys, cards...all check. The door creaked open in a flash as the otaku dashed out of it. He had made it to the streets, the only thing he had to do was pick up the food and make it to Taichi's.

First thing he had to do though was get some food. Everyone was fine with burgers, but Kaito wanted udon. So he's required to make two stops as he gets into the city. He began to shiver as the heater of his car wasn't going fast enough. After a few quick red lights, he stopped his car off in front of the udon house to get himself a nice meal. Kaito specifically wanted something piping hot so he could stay awake during the massive battle.

The burger joint he had to go to next wasn't too far away, so he simply dropped the food off in his car and walked back into the streets. It would be rude to request one kind of food when you have a second with you. In a few quick transactions, he was carrying two bags filled with clogging goodies for his pals. Luckily he didn't have to carry any drinks as well. He walked slowly to his car and shook his head to prepare himself for the night. Little did he expect...

"Gimme another drink!" A voice shouted from inside of a small, black bar.

"I'm sorry, but you've had just too many."

"It's ok, it's ok. I'll be taking her home." A female voice said.

"But a cop shouldn't be driving drunk! It's hypocritical!"

"Don't worry; I will be the one to drive them home." A third voice confirmed.

The large door of the magnificent bar known as Eden Hall flew open as three tipsy adults staggered out of it. Kaito panicked, immediately recognizing their faces. He dived into an alley, hoping they would move on without noticing him. A call from a parental figure would just make his situation much worse. He gritted his teeth, hearing them sounds of them yelling in the streets, unaware of the volume.

"You guys see anything?!" Yui asked.

"All I see are the bouncing balls destroying the bricks as they bounce of that giant metal paddle!" Kuroi shouted.

"Why-why you suppose in that game that the paddle destroys all those bricks?" Sojiro said.

"The bricks clearly had crushed his family."

"And drank all his sake!" The teacher chanted.

"Makes sense!" The parent said as they slowly gained control of their balance.

"You guys see some kind of red flash?" The blonde woman asked.

"Thought you-you were looking at blocks."

"Nah, nah na na na na no." She stuttered. "I think I saw some kind of red ball or something just go buy. With some fast food."

Kaito shook his head as he stayed in the shadows.

"Must have been a power-up." Yui defended. "You know how those new games have power-ups where you can turn the paddle into a shooter!"

"Did you bring your gun with you?" Sojiro said. Kaito's heart skipped a beat.

"Nah. Do have pepper spray though!"

"Does that stuff actually tastes like pepper?" Kuroi questioned.

"You know, I've never tried. Let's go home and make some eggs!"

As Kaito watched as the irresponsible adults wander pass him to their houses. He quickly moved out of the alley back towards his car. This was going to be a very annoying night considering what happened. But when he put himself in the economic car, he thought to himself.

"I wonder what Kona-chan is doing."

* * *

Speaking of the short otaku girl, while her dad was getting drunk and her short cousin was asleep; her face was planted right in front of her computer. She was strolling around in her new MMORPG with the Hiiragi twins at the first floor of an easy cave. With a few new pieces of armor and spells under their belts, they were ready to tackle the multi-colored slimes inside. Their three avatars stopped upon a rather small looking slime with an amulet floating around in its insides.

"Be careful guys, if we want to kill this thing, we have to stun it at the most appropriate times." Konata advised.

"Why's that?" Tsukasa asked.

"When it gets to 50 health, it will try to clone itself. And while the clones themselves cannot clone, two of them will just completely devastate us from there level."

"What about the loot?" Kagami thought. "Do the clones drop loot?"

"Nope." Konata answered. "If the clones were to drop loot, then we wouldn't have a chance to fight them. People would be farming the slimes over and over and over again. The thing the slime drops wouldn't even be as rare or expensive if that were the case, because the market would be flooded with the accessory."

"You can just say no." Kagami rolled her eyes.

"Okay, this will be the plan." Konata prepared. "Tsukasa, you weaken it first with your lightening spell. Slimes are partially made of water, so lightning will make it more vulnerable to attacks.

"O-okay." Her character nodded.

"Kagami, you can swing away at it all you feel like, but you just need to top me off whenever my health bar turns yellow."

"Fine." She said.

"Around 60 percent, you two need to pay very close attention. Tsukasa, you need cast your strongest, longest casting spell to deal the most damage before the slime tries to clone itself. At that moment, I will use my macro that allows me to stun the enemy while alerting you all to pay attention. I need both of you then to deal out as much damage as possible and use your stunning abilities when it tries to clone. We have to go into a cycle so nothing is wasted. We just have to deal as much damage as possible before our mana runs out. You got that?"

"Dah...um..." Tsukasa worried.

"Wish you could make this a little simpler." Kagami said.

"We are in the game world; you have to learn these terms. And that's as simple as I can make it if we want to kill it and not spend a whole night trying to get the exp back."

Kagami immediately paid close attention to her computer screen. Not only would this game rob her of more social interaction, but her weight might rise up again. She had heard how the inactivity from game playing could lead to unnecessary fat. It would be quite the annoyance. Tsukasa just went along with it, not wanting to let Konata or her sister down. She had done enough with that volleyball game not too long ago.

"Okay, everyone ready?" Konata said.

"Ready to go! Yes!" The Hiiragi twins type.

"FIGHT!" She vigorously typed.

* * *

Away from the girl's domicile, a car was rolling up to a nearby house. Kaito groaned as he carried all of his food stuffs into his friend's house. It would have been much better if his parents revealed the information until after tonight. He slowly entered the house, hoping not to disturb anyone else. Removing his shoes, he slid around the wood floors, trying to find a ray of light from a closed door. The door busted open as he finally found the right one.

"Kaito!" Taichi shouted from his bed.

"Shh...Shouldn't you keep it down?" Kaito hushed.

"Nah, its fine. My parents are out for the week on a second honeymoon." He explained.

"Hey. Yo." Minoru and Ryuta greeted.

"How's it going?" He questioned.

"Fine." His bespectacled friend nodded. "You were taking a while, so we've decided to tinker with some of the downloadable content the game had. I think if we want to warm up for this trial, we should try out a few songs we haven't tried out before. And let me say, some of these are pretty damn fun."

"And hard." Taichi groaned.

"How so?"

"Oh, I can't remember the band's name. I just remember one of the members has the name...Frusciante? The bass is so painful because it moves all over the place compared to other songs."

"That's what the game does." Kaito shrugged. "They need to add in some variety to keep some things interesting."

"You up for playing Kaito-kun?" Ryuta said, pointing at the plastic guitar in the room.

"Yeah, I need some kind of way to alleviate pressure." He mumbled.

Minoru asked. "What happened?"

"My parents found out about Patricia-chan and I."

His friends had completely different reactions to the news. Shiraishi and Taichi looked down at the floor knowing how serious the relationship was. Ryuta was completely scared out of his mind thinking about the punishment that would be to follow. Not to mention, Kaito would most likely be sneaking out of the house in order to play this silly game with them. The marimo-haired man spoke in worry about it.

"Did, did they mention anything about punishing you?"

"It's weird..." He scratched his head. "Soon it turned from arguing at me to arguing about each other it. Turns out that they have different morals on love and foreigners."

"So are they punishing me?" Ryuta asked. Minoru growled in disgust.

"Doesn't look like it matters. All that I know is that I'm getting punished big time. Not sure what it will be or how it'll turn out, but I know when I bomb is going to explode."

"Hey..." The fat kid began, trying to take their minds of the topic. "How about we start playing now, it might help you from over-thinking about the subject."

"Sure." Kaito sat down, looking directly at the screen.

"Ooh, did you bring the food?" Ryuta said.

Kaito placed the bags of fast food in front of them as the boys went at it like ravaging animals. The otaku wanted to just relax by eating his warm udon and playing the game he loved. The other three wanted to eat through quickly so they could focus on playing. It was lucky for Kaito that they could do it relatively fast. As Shiraishi was looking over his food, a weird thought came to him.

"Hey Kaito, can I ask you a question?"

"What do you want?"

"Something occurred to me." He pondered. "A lot of the people I know refer to Martin-san as Patty. However, you refer to her as Patricia-chan. Why is that?"

The chestnut-haired teen tilted his head as he thought about it. "It's probably because by calling her by her real name, it feels more respectful."

"I see."

"And if you want to think about it deeper, look at your sandwich." Kaito ordered.

He looked at his food with new confusion "Why?"

"When you love a girl, do you really want to think about hamburgers when you're kissing her?"

The three of them chuckled as they finished their midnight meals. They had plenty of playing to do.

* * *

"Alright, here comes the macro!" Konata typed into her game text.

Things had been moving smoothly for the most part. Konata was able to keep the slime focused on her, just like her job was designed to do. The Hiiragi twins kept up their roles too casting the appropriate buffs, debuffs, and heals. Just like the otaku had planned, the slime had hit 60 percent health. It was now or never if they were to get that slime-coated amulet. Konata hit a combination of buttons on her keyboard, setting of the macro. On all three computers, a simple phrase was uttered.

"Bang." The computers said in a soft tone.

Konata's eyes sharpened, as nothing seemed to happen. Konata and Kagami were whacking away while Tsukasa was just waiting there like a dunderhead. She began to type furiously.

"Guys, that was the signal! Get to work!" Konata said.

"Ah, oh...ok! Sorry about that Kona-chan!" Tsukasa typed as she prepared up her strongest spell.

"Why couldn't you just have the warning say something more natural? Something like, attack now? Or initiate the plan!" Kagami sneered as she was prepping Konata's character for the worse.

Konata's eyes opened with full ferocity as she was hitting her keyboard with lightning fast strokes. "Damn it, that's no way to disrespect one of the best animes that was created! We are killing this thing or I'm making you both grind until your fingers are nubs!"

In real life, the two sisters stared at each other in worry. Tsukasa was freaked out over this anger in Konata while Kagami was just amazed by the amount of seriousness she had added. But, she was right nonetheless. More time playing equaled more calories stored in one's stomach. They moved on as they continued to fight the beast.

* * *

While the girls were killing that enemy in their online game, the boys across town had their own monster to slay.

"_No one is safe!_" Minoru and the game sang at the same time.

"Play better Taichi!" Kaito ranted.

"_When I close my eyes!_"

"I'm trying!"

"_I've come to take your life!_"

It was quite an epic masterpiece of difficulty and metal that the four of them were fighting against. A pain on every instrument with two deadly solos, unforgiving bass patterns and rhythms, and seventy-nine phrases of violent insanity. They were playing as hard as they could trying to clear the song. Minoru spoke very angrily as he was instructed to by the game, as if he was yelling at a pissy pop idol.

"_The angel of death is pissed off at me again, just because I got to put you out of my misery! It doesn't matter, I am without fear. Now that you're dead, I won't shed another bloody tear for you._"

As the group repeated through the chorus, Ryuta shouted as he was pounding his drums.

"This song is painful, but in some kind of strange good way!"

"Now you know how I feel!" Kaito said. "Come on guys, we have a whole night of song slaying!"

Taichi made a heavy groan through the thrashing sounds. Maybe he shouldn't have invited such serious players to do this kind of thing. And on a school night of all days...

* * *

After a long night of game-fueled emotions...

Konata emerged herself from her humid room. She groggily walked towards the kitchen with a severe lack of reaction. In a small amount of time she would have to go to school. Looks like another one of those days where she would have to try and weasel her way out of class in order to sleep in the library. It was worth it though. She did get a nice set of amulets for herself and friends, saving them some money in the process. Plus the stat bonuses would give them a nice advantage towards other enemies.

The house felt very strange at that moment however. Lights were on yet not a soul was scene. There were just two plates on the table. Even with her regular nights of forced insomnia, her dad or Yu-chan would be there waiting to prep her. On closer inspection, the two dishes on the plates appeared to simple rice omelets. Yet on the bottom of the plates, a yellow transparent liquid was scene. Must have been a curry sauce that was made for it.

As she slid her chair to eat her breakfast, she could hear the sound of pattering footsteps. With her frizzled hair and flickering eyes, Konata still saw that it was just her cousin. Yutaka was quite unlike Konata when it came to the morning. She was already in her sailor uniform, ready for school. She didn't want her relative to get punished at school, so she struck up a conversation.

"G-good morning, Onee-chan." Yutaka bowed.

"Ah...hey Yu-chan." Konata said, stumbling around her words. "You make this for us?"

"I think Yui made this force us." She scratched her head. "She wanted to give us some food before going home so she made these."

"I don't think I know much about Nee-san's cooking." Konata pondered. "You want to dig in with me?"

"Of course!"

Yutaka happily moved to the table to start the day off appropriately. The Izumi girls said there words of gratitude and picked up their forks. Yu-chan moved quickly as she cut off a section of omelets with the utensil. Konata did a more sloppy approach and tried to hopefully stab and slide a section off and into their mouth. Once it made contact with their faces however, they were in for a painful surprise.

The blue haired girl made a series of grizzly coughs as she backed far away from that food. What in the world was that? Was Yui that bad in the kitchen? It must have been some kind of rare, crazy, poisonous curry that she made. She started to shun it, as she felt a burning sensation on her tongue. Poor Yutaka was in a worse state of panic, as the air from the heat had moved from her mouth to her eyes. She swelled up immensely, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Onee-chan!" She cried loudly. "Did Yui use too much shichimi?! It hurts!"

"Not sure, Yu-chan!" Konata coughed. "Whatever it is though, we can't touch it!"

"Water! I need water!"

"Actually Yu-chan, I heard water only..." A loud scream followed from the sound of the faucet turning on. "Only spreads the heat."

* * *

At least for the Izumi family, they weren't the only ones suffering from the night of gaming and misjudgment. Later that morning, school had arrived and many students were not looking forward to the pop quiz that was given in Biology. Sakuraba's students groaned as they went to work on the lousy grade. In particular, two male students were in severe trauma from this educational smack down.

Ryuta made a sour face as began writing down answers. It was nothing short of a drummer to get calluses on his hands or his feet to feel sore, but he didn't expect the pain to last on in school. And at quite an appropriate time. Taichi was feeling the worst out of everyone. The cramps in his hands from playing plastic guitar would hardly allow him to pick up a pencil. He bit through the pain as he started piecing answers together. What a dismal day it was to be...

Things weren't too peachy for the class next door either. A large lump formed on a student's head, properly delivered by the hands of Kuroi Nanako. Kaito slowly lifted his head, trying to stare at the woman. His eyes were heavy as he could only see a blur and mumble.

"Yasuhiro, wake up! Do you even know what I was asking?"

"Ne-ne-ne..." He mustered. "No."

Yasuhiro got another fist from that. At least now he could now get the much needed sleep he wanted. Nanako regained her composure as she looked around the room.

"Ok, Shiraishi. Do you know the answer to the problem?"

After several hours of constant singing, Minoru could hardly stand, let alone speak from the amount of fatigue placed on him. He wasn't even a hardcore gamer but he was receiving the pain that a normal one goes through. He was using sign language to try and point out that he couldn't talk so he wouldn't have to damage his vocal chords. Kuroi-sensei simply laughed as she was watching him flop around like a fish.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue, Sebastian?" He groaned as the rest of the class laughed.

* * *

Now I know some of you may want to bite my head off, but let's get something straight. Not every parent is happy about who their child chooses to love. It's not completely one-sided, but it's a touchy subject nonetheless. I really had to side-step around to see what was the right thing to do. It was just tough to think about a lot of these things. Why was it so difficult?

Two Words: Nina Einstein.

I have an extra bonus to you guys. Sometime in 2009 or Late 2008, I will produce a series of short stories of Alternate Scenes for this very fic. Just like in a drama game, what if Kaito went down a different path or what if different things happened that changed his perception? That is what you will recieve, especially those who loved some of the other pairing ideas. How can you get involved? I have a poll up at the moment looking for a title for this new story, so please vote if you enjoy them. If you have a name of your own to suggest if you don't like the five I put up, PM it to me and I may add it to the poll.

A few extra notes relating to the curry. No worries, Yu-chan will be fine. You can get over that kind of stuff. And regular curry, as well as pepper spray, is a yellow color, not red as commonly shown. Yellow is the common color for mild curry even though it can be practically everything. And _Shichimi_ is a hot, Japanese pepper spice mix that they add to several things. Just wanted to clear that up. That's a fact too with spice. Milk Good, Water Bad. And if you can catch any of the references I made, points go to you guys.

Thank you all for reading and waiting. **Please, Review, Critique or Ask Questions.** See you soon!


	30. Just What I Needed

We are coming to the close now. Just one my chapter to go and I'll have finally completed a fanfic. ...I make these much longer than I originally intend. ; I just hope that you guys really enjoy this one. I put a lot of work into this chapter alone with research and referencing. My heart is pounding just thinking about it.

**Disclaimer:** You guys know that Yoshimizu Kagami owns Lucky Star, right? Hehe, just checking. Yasuhiro Kaito is Mine.

* * *

**Chapter 30: Just What I Needed**

In the middle of a desert industrial environment, two different teams prepped for battle. The opposing team immediately took their opportunity to run to the first section of the arena to create a stalwart defense. The blue team composed of primarily teenaged girls gathered near the fence, briefing newcomers about what to expect. Everyone tilted their heads as they heard the message ring out through the area.

"Mission begins in sixty seconds."

Kagami looked at everyone as she placed a map on the canyon wall. Despite her eyes being covered by her helmet, her strong voice and frantically moving twin-tails got everyone's respect.

"The plan is simple." She turned her eyes to two athletically dressed girls. "Konata, Misao."

"Yes!" They said with enthusiasm.

"After we clear out most of the defenses and any of the heavier classes, you two run in and take the point."

"Yes Ma'am!" They both saluted.

"I can't wait to bust in some heads..." Konata said euphorically, caressing her aluminum bat.

"Oy! If someone is going to bonk in a few heads it's going to be me!" Misao defended holding her own weapon. "I'm in track you know."

"Doesn't matter, I can run the fastest." Konata shrugged.

"Enough, both of you!" Kagami shouted. "The bat isn't that great anyway; you should be sticking to your scattergun."

"Don't insult our bats!" The two of them retorted.

"Fine...fine." She shrugged, watching the two swing the weapons like drunken idiots. "Anyway, medics?"

"Yes? Here." Miyuki and Ayano respectively said.

"You guys start healing our Heavies so you guys will have charges ready for when the battle starts. If we want to get through any sentries they have set up, we will need invincibility to pass through them."

"Will do." The two of them nodded.

Miyuki and Ayano changed from their bone saws to the odd, health-streaming medipacks that they owned. The two large members of the team stood there as they were talking about the size of their massive guns. Yui and Kuroi turned around as they noticed their health go up immensely. The two Heavies gave their medics thumbs up.

"Can't wait to shoot them up..." Kuroi said, her minigun rotating already.

"Be sure to look out for Snipers." Yui warned.

"As long as I get out of the gates with enough ammo, then me and Sasha will get the most points out of everyone!"

"Sasha?" The cop asked.

"That's my gun's name."

"But isn't that a girl's name...?"

The two medics sweat dropped, prepping their main offensive power. On a different corner of the arena, two very different classes were looking over a cute little sentry gun. The engineer was rather small compared to others, but that actually worked to her advantage as she could cover behind her machine without injury. A spy was watching her upgrade her machine, hoping nothing would go awry.

"Just one more swing..." Yutaka mumbled to herself.

The small girl had trouble lifting up over sized monkey wrench to upgrade her little machine. Putting all of her strength into it, she whacked at the blue sentry, knocking off her hardhat in the process. The mounted gun morphed itself into a stronger weapon. Two long chain guns shot out of the front while two long ammo clips linked against large barrels. It was menacing and fast, but put a toll on its creator.

"Out of metal now." She innocently said.

"Are you ok?" Minami spoke up. "Do you wish me to switch in order to make a better weapon?"

"No, it's fine Minami-chan." She perked up. "Even with your class, I appreciate at the fact you are willing to change for me."

"It's no problem, really."

One could see the bubbly pink atmosphere forming around them. This was the case for the only sniper of the team. Hiyori gazed deeply at the two innocent girls in the moment. Her scope was perfect for looking from afar, especially with the enhanced telescopic sight. The only thing she hoped for is that pair wouldn't notice a blue dot near them. That or any other distraction to ruin such a lovely moment.

Unfortunately, the later happened. "Hey, Yu-chan!"

Yutaka blinked, seeing a very strangely dressed foreigner in front of her. "Oh, Patty-chan."

"Can you build me a dispenser?" She requested.

"Why would you need that?" Minami questioned.

"If we get infested by REDs, then you'll need someone like me to take them out no flaws. By building a dispenser, I can climb up to that ledge up there so they won't reach me."

Yutaka went along with the plan, even if she had not seen it before. She walked off to get some metal from the resupply cabinet. With a new toolbox in hand, she went to work making her portable supply unit. With only 30 seconds to go, she tried really hard to accelerate the building process. Oddly enough though, Patricia had a hard enough time jumping onto the stupid thing. Even with its completion, she pouted knowing that it didn't work.

"Daw...why does everyone else make it look so easy?!" She shouted.

"Now what?" Yutaka said.

"Guess I'll just have to do it the hard way..." Patty mumbled.

She pulled out her secondary launcher and pointed it at the ground. With a small recoiled, a shiny, blue, spiky ball stuck to the sandy terrain. She stood right on top of the explosive and clenched her hands. Without warning, it exploded, sending Patricia straight up into the air. Her classmates looked at her in a combination of panic and astonishment. In a second, she landed on the ledge, with blood splattering all around.

"Medic!" She screamed. Miyuki quickly turned to her name with her medigun now crackling with energy.

"Wow..." Yutaka said. The red liquid nearly made her faint.

"She got blood on my suit." Minami grumbled as she wiped the blood away.

"Everyone get ready!" Kagami informed. Tsukasa tried to give words of advice, but her gas masked disabled her ability to talk.

The girls all lined up ready in their positions. First years stayed in the back in order to provide cover and protect the spawning point. They had already breached through the first area, hopefully they would have luck on the second one. Everyone was ready for their roles. Yui and Kuroi revved up their miniguns with the medics at their side. A second wave of offense would come from Kagami, Tsukasa, Misao and Konata. All they needed to do now was wait for the signal.

"Five."

"Four."

"Three."

"Two."

"_One!_"

With that last statement, the fury of several women came bursting out of the gate. It would be sad to think of the poor team who were forced to try and defend these points. Before the intensity of the siege, Kagami made one last statement:

"Last one alive, lock the door!"

* * *

The slam of that door erupted Kaito's senses. He breathed heavily as he looked around his seemingly normal room. He returned to normal, knowing it was all a dream. It did make him feel a bit scared though to dream about girls wielding a variety of firearms. Kaito slid off of his bed as he moved towards the room. With everything that happened so far, his mood was completely warped. He was at his peak, yet in a constant state of fright.

The Day of Reckoning was here.

He groaned, going to the bathroom to start the only boring and peaceful part of his day. Pure white walls attacked his pupils while he moved in front of the mirror. Kaito wasn't normally a groomer, but it was necessary for him to be prepared. He shifted through every tool in the bathroom: toothpaste, brush, comb, floss, mouthwash. His fingers extended his eyelids, hoping not to be too tired. The fist of an angry teacher would not make the day easier.

Kaito moved back into his room to slip into his uniform. His mind felt buried in a marsh, as even such a mundane task started to get on his nerves. It would be nice for a male uniform to get a little bit of color. That or some sign of freedom. He slid his socks against the floorboards moving into the kitchen. With no effort, he plopped himself in his chair.

"Dad, what's for breakfast?"

"Dad is out jogging." A voice said. Kaito turned his head to see his mom in an apron. Something he was not familiar to at all. "I have to go to work soon, so I just made you something simple. Just some rice, miso soup, grilled salmon and pickles."

"Thanks." He nodded.

Sakiko poured him a hot cup of tea as he prepared himself for the meal. Without thought, he shifted through the various foods in order to get the day over with. Something tasted a little different though...they were fantastic. Not bland like he would usually have to deal with. The only thing he had to do was sprinkle a little bit of furikake on his rice to make it complete.

"You made this mom?" He pondered.

"Yes." She smiled.

"It's wonderful..." He said amazed. "Why don't you cook like this more often?"

"Usually, I'm busier than this. Iwao is here all the time, so he'll cook or else he gets bored. And we both know what happens when he gets bored."

"Yeah." Kaito slumped.

"I can cook just fine though. Did you forget?"

"No, I haven't. It's just a little rare is all."

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day?"

"Mmhmm." He said slowly, moving to his vegetables.

"Kaito, is anything wrong?"

The otaku took a deep sip of his miso soup before placing the empty cup on the table. He needed to feel a bit fuller to gain some courage, so he drank half of the tea in that small amount of time. Kaito readied himself, pressing his hands against the table. His mom still looked a bit curious not knowing how teenager's minds would work in this age.

"Why am I not allowed to be with Patricia?" He said frustrated.

"I, um..." Sakiko stammered.

"Is it so wrong of me to love someone who I completely understand? Does it matter how she looks or where she is from? Aren't we civilized enough to look past all of that stupid crap?! We care about each other...so why does it have to be difficult to accept?!"

His mom placed her hand on her chest. "Well, personally, I don't think there's an issue. Your dad is just kind of hardheaded."

"But don't I need complete approval from you guys?" He questioned.

"Of course not." She said bluntly.

"Huh?"

"You haven't been romantically involved for very long, have you?" She giggled. Kaito stared daggers at her from that statement. "No matter who hates you two being together, it does not matter. You know my mother is a bit crazy, do you think she was one-hundred percent satisfied with me dating your father? As long as you both are happy, then that's all that matters."

"But...won't it be hard?" Kaito thought. "Especially since the girl I love lives alone and a bit far away."

"You should just leave your problems here to me. Love is something you shouldn't have to sacrifice."

Kaito's brain finally opened up to the logical thoughts of others. It would be wrong to ignore every girl he hung out with just because they may not have been perfect. Screw his dad, why should a child live in fear of their parents? He might have been a bit inexperienced in the field of Love-giving, but that was no reason to give up on people's feelings. That like detaching a friendship on the basis that one person likes one flavor of Pocky over another. He in a flash, he finished though his breakfast and placed his hands together.

"Gochisou-sama." He said happily. Kaito then unexpectly moved to Sakiko, giving her a hug in the process. "Thanks a ton Mom."

She smiled hugging her son back. Her ability to hone her maternal skills proved useful once again. Kaito felt better fueled by his mother's confidence and a well-prepared Japanese meal. He walked back in his room grabbing his briefcase stuffed with everything he might need. He walked back into the kitchen, giving his mom a quick wave goodbye before going to school.

Just has he left the door though, he forgot something he had not considered. Sakiko ran outside to quickly inform him.

"You forgot your bento!" She shouted. He felt embarrassed, quickly snagging it from his mom's hands as he went to the bus station.

* * *

School went by without a hitch like usual. Ryōō High School wasn't prone to drama or conflict as one may assume. Kaito took every step to avoid talking with the girls. Whether it was coming into class right before the bell or not making eye contact, he pulled it off. He would usually break for the cafeteria whenever it was lunch time to hang out with his male friends. Right as that bell went off; he stood briskly as he walked towards the door.

"Oi, Kaito-kun!" He heard from across the room. "Come here!"

A cold sweat started to come from his head. It would be easier to ignore words in the morning because he would fake being asleep. If he were to run away from this, then it would be a bit too obvious. The girls would then hunt him down like a dog. A public argument would be much worse than facing it head on. He took a gulp, turning around to see the three girls in his classroom.

"Okay." He nodded.

Kaito hoped he wouldn't react too nervously in front of this pack of lionesses. Cheerful...smiling lionesses they were nonetheless. He sat down in front of Konata, Miyuki and Tsukasa, placing the bento in front of himself. It felt awkward, there was no conversation going on between the three of them. Must have been some kind of test. Kaito opened the floor, looking to Miyuki.

"So Miyuki-san, I heard recently that you won a rather large case against a dental association." He began.

"Yes, my mother and I are very pleased with the results."

"What do you plan to do with the money, Yuki-chan?" Tsukasa went along.

"The first thing we plan to do is pay off our legal fees. Lawyers have been steadily increasing the price of their services. Then we plan to find a new dentist for me to start going to after we interview some of his clients. I guess we shall hold onto the rest of our funds or donate it to charity."

"Yuki-chan." Konata chimed in. "You should donate your money to me. I shall be analyzing a growing trend in mangakas." Konata liked that idea a lot, but she smacked her hands together thinking of something else. "Oh, I just thought of something even better!"

"What's that?" The meganekko asked.

"You should fund Hiyorin's doujinshi. She's fantastic."

Kaito blushed at that idea. Very clever, but hopefully it would evolve into several different pairings comparing to the one he was used too. Miyuki didn't think of something like that, but it would be a rather interesting business endeavor.

"I've been rather interested in the business field. What type of manga does she draw?"

Konata scratched her face, not considering the obvious. "Actually...maybe I should take the content into consideration."

"Oh my, what kind of things does she draw?"

Just before Konata would have to bring up another taboo topic, her knight in serafuku opened up the door to class 3-B. She was about to greet everyone with her regular, friendly "Yo," but she saw that boy in his gakuran. Her happy demeanor shifted to the dark side by changing from regular walking to stomping. In a shriek, she pulled up a second desk to the four of them. She sat down thusly, placing her bento on the surface.

Tsukasa and Miyuki were a bit clueless to what happened, but Konata and Kaito could detect the thickness in the air. Each bite the tsundere made raised the level of the uncomfortably. Kaito looked frightened, seeing Kagami's sharpened eyes. Konata however kept up happy attitude with her cat-like smirk and all. The twin-tailed, lavender haired girl placed her chopsticks on the desk. He feared the worst watching her lift her head from the table.

"Kaito..." She said slowly.

"Kagami." Konata said briefly, getting everyone's attention. "Lunch will be a happy place today."

"Wh-what?" The tsundere asked.

"We all know what happened." The otaku said, grinning. "There's no point to reflect on it."

"What did Kaito do exactly?" Tsukasa did not realize what had happened in the short period of time.

"Kaito-kun is dating Patty-chan now."

Miyuki and the younger Hiiragi twin looked at him from that response with new found interest. Kaito's embarrassment was clearer than ever with his red face. It was a bit surprising though that the other two girls didn't know. He thought that any romantic news would spread like wildfire. Kagami was a taken a bit off from Konata's cool nature, but that didn't settle her feelings. She still looked rather peeved.

"So the best thing to do here would be to put Kaito here at ease, simply not talk about it." Konata dismissed, her hand reaching for her choco cornet.

"At least I have Konata on my side...I hope." Kaito thought.

Both Hiiragi sisters felt a bit conflicted, wanting to specifically talk about the issue at hand. It makes anyone feel stupid or untrustworthy when they don't know something. But on the subject of love, it was much more severe. Kagami's tsundere personality kicked in every few minutes with something to say. But with a simple look from Konata, she dropped her finger. Everything felt that way for most of this period.

"Kaito-san." Miyuki said briefly. "If you want to handle-"

"Miyuki-san." Konata interrupted.

"Yes?"

"I know you are trying to help with your immense knowledge on psychology and the human brain. However, the last thing Kaito wants to talk about in school is his relationship."

Miyuki felt a bit dumbfounded, but honored her decision. "I understand Konata-san."

"We'll save that for after school." She stated simply.

Kaito nearly choked on the katsu that was packed for him. He just took a deep swallow of the food, and then reached for a bottle of his flavored water. Kagami felt a bit confused by Konata's plan here. What did she want? At least Miyuki could go along with it. Poor Tsukasa was the only one who felt ignored in this whole situation. She was just lightly humming to herself the joys of balsamic vinegar. A light bulb lit above her head as she remembered something.

"Are we still going to go see that movie today?"

"Oh yeah, nearly forgot about that." Kagami said.

"Movie?" Kaito put himself in the conversation.

"We're just thinking about seeing one a little bit after school. Just to give ourselves a little treat from school."

"Which do you plan on seeing? The one based off the manga that recently came out with a slew of OVAs?"

"Nah, nah. Not that one. I feel like that would be a bit much for Tsukasa-chan." Konata stated.

Kagami groaned once again from Konata's cryptic attitude. "You sure do keep a lot away from us, don't you? Feels like I should be interrogating you as well."

* * *

At the end of the day, a few teenagers got off at the bus stop. Konata and Kagami walked ahead to the otaku's house, while Kaito shambled like a zombie. He had no idea what to expect at Konata's house. He assumed that it would involve a lot of screaming. Luckily, this battle would only be against those two. Miyuki had agreed to let Tsukasa stay at her house until the movie premiered. All to make the conversation much smoother.

Kaito continuously thought the worst of what would happen while he was walking. It was starting to scare him that it was only a ten-minute walk from his house to her's. He did learn today that the girls he knew weren't as connected with gossip than he assumed, but that did not take out the possibility of it spreading. His heart felt like a stone, hitting the Izumi house. Kagami and Konata entered, simply waiting for him.

He opened the door, walking in slowly. A place where he felt so at ease would soon be the scene of the crime. Kaito started looking around. Even after he made peace with Izumi-sama, it would be best if he wasn't here to see everything. It also appeared as if Yutaka was gone. That made negotiation much easier without having to hear squeaky ramblings every five seconds. Konata popped her head out from the kitchen, startling Kaito.

"Do you want a drink?" Konata offered.

"Just do what she says." His mind echoed. "Denying anything would just make things worse."

"Sure." Kaito stated.

Konata brought in a tray with three steaming cups of tea. It was placed on a table in front of the couch Kaito was sitting on. As he reached for a cup, Kagami sat on an opposite side of couch. The two girls took their own cups, drinking them heavily. Konata simply stood in front of Kaito. It was a perfect cornering technique. Kaito finished half of his tea before he placed it down. In one deep breath, he signified that he was reading for what they were about to say.

"So...Kaito-kun." Konata said quickly, smirking at the same time.

"What makes you want to date Patricia-san?" Kagami interrupted. She seemed to have more of a necessity to know than the otaku.

"Well..." Kaito began while twiddling his thumbs. "It started rather suddenly."

"What did she do?" Kagami leaned against the couch.

"It was the last day of me living at her apartment. Just as I finished moving all of my stuff out of there, I went to give my farewell. Part of me feels stupid for not seeing it coming. I went to pick up my DS and before I knew it...she kissed me. I thought it was going to be simple, but she just ended up kissing me."

"It's kind of ironic really." Konata mentioned.

"How's that?" The tsundere wondered.

"Me and Patty-chan are cut from the same cloth. We love to play eroge games and visual novels. Yet oddly enough, she's from the United States where such things are very rare. Not to mention that in American Society, men are prone to making the first move. While in Japan, women are more responsible for making the first move. Yet a common thing about visual novels is that you are forced to play as a man. You have to choose the right decisions in order to get that golden opportunity to kiss the girl. So the fact that she pulled off such a stunt with her lack of knowledge is a bit amazing."

Both Kagami and Kaito were stunned by the information. Kagami's thought went off on a tangent. "Despite her otaku-polluted brain, that actually makes a lot of sense."

"There's more to it than that." Kaito said. "I was completely uncertain who I liked the best out of everyone. I listed off a journal to try and help me decide who the best was. It didn't really help me, but I kept it for a reference. She ended up looking at it, which gave her the boost she needed."

Konata chuckled. "Oh, stupid, stupid Kaito." He panicked from that response. "You should never leave something that threatening on your computer."

As he blushed, Kagami had felt a little tender thinking about what he said. "Kaito..." He turned his head towards her. "You said you were uncertain about everyone. What does that mean?"

"The idea to...date one of you wasn't beyond my thought." Kaito explained. "But it was just hard of me to consider what to do. I can't date all of you, that's just silly. It was just so damn difficult to find out who I should do it with. And when I came to one solution, a new problem opened up. By seeing one girl as superior to everyone else, then I'm just making everything worse for the rest of you guys."

"I, never really knew that." Kagami blinked.

"You should read more about love, Kagamin." Konata suggested.

"Like you know a lot either." She said dryly.

"When Patricia-chan became intimate, I liked it. I won't deny that. But that just made me fear about what everyone else would say. Only my guy friends really understood it. This is exactly why I kept it a secret. I love her; it's just that...the problems that would arise if everyone would know."

"So that explains it..." Konata nodded.

"I guess things can get more complicated than we expected." Kagami stated.

"Tell me about it." He said, starting to shake again. He moved towards his tea to comfort.

"Kagami." Konata said. "I believe now is the time when Kaito and I should talk a bit more privately."

"What?!" She said, surprised. "I thought the point of this was to cover what Kaito was doing!"

He quivered, not allowing himself to notice Konata moving into Kagami. "This next part will be really important. I'll tell you about it afterwards, just sit in my room until we are done."

Kagami pouted, but acknowledged her friend's request. "Fine."

The twin-tailed tsundere stood from the couch and went into Konata's room to fume. She did want to see what would happen. Then again, she never saw Konata take an issue that seriously. Back in the room, Konata sat down on the couch next to him. A much different method than what Kagami did. Kaito began to feel claustrophobic with his clammy hands and dazed heart. She looked at him with a fusion of innocence and curiosity.

"Tell me Kaito..." She started off. "When you hung out with us, did you only care for romance or were you seeking something much more?"

He quivered, but spoke honestly "I wanted to be your friend because you were an otaku. You just happened to be a girl. But you were also the most obsessive and eccentric and kind otaku that I knew."

"Does that apply for everyone else?"

"Of course it does. Miyuki and Tsukasa are gentle and sweet. The fact that Kagami is a tsundere does not bother me at all because I know who she truly is. She's a confident, strong woman who cares for people. What's the point in letting those relationships go?"

"I had been wondering that a lot lately." Konata said.

"Why's that?"

"Well..." Izumi began. "When I first learned the information about you and Patty-chan, I was a bit surprised. I was feeling something deep inside me I had not felt for a long time. It didn't feel like pain or suffering, but just more of...mystery. Something like this puts a rather big toll on your head. So I decided to look into anime for the answer. I tried watching an anime with Kagami, but that fueled my anger instead of fanned it. So after watching several upon several shows, I finally came to a conclusion."

"What's that?"

"I should simply just follow the example of Daidōji-sama."

"Daidōji-sama?" Kaito asked, not knowing of shōjo series.

"Here's the thing. You care a lot for me...and I care a lot for you. Patricia-chan too, I care for that busty foreigner more than you would think. And since we all like each other, what's the point in looking at the negatives? Why should we call drama just because we have to think love equals superiority?"

Kaito started to sniffle, his face beginning to express his true feelings. "Wh-what does this mean?"

"It's simple. As long as you two are both happy...I'll be happy."

"K-Kona-chan..." Kaito groveled. His small stream of started to burst out like the Kegon waterfall. It became louder as the overwhelming flood of emotions poured out of him. He felt so relieved from her acceptance. Yet oddly enough, the release of all that tension was a bit too much to contain to himself. He covered his face, letting it all out. It soaked part of the couch. Konata just waited there letting it all transpire happen before her eyes.

"Thank you!" He bowed. "Thank you!" His tears now being assisted by manly inspiration.

"I'll be there for you." She said, making a final move.

When he finished bowing, she dove in instantly for a hug. Konata nuzzled in against his tear-soaked gakuran in his moment of weakness. Kaito took the feeling immediately, squeezing her in particularly tight. It felt a bit uncomfortable, but it was still incredibly gratifying. Konata took in every second of this moment while he pressed his fingers into her hair and uniform. He was overwhelmed by her selflessness, despite her personality. Her eyes opened up as the two lifted away.

"Now go. Be with the one you love." Konata nodded.

Kaito wiped the tears from his eyes, with a wide smile on his face. "I will."

In that moment he stood up as he downed the rest of his tea that the girl prepared. Yasuhiro stormed out of the door wanting to be with the girl that chose to be his soul mate. Konata felt a bit at ease now, knowing that the friendship they had was to be genuine. And it was going to stay that way no matter what the circumstance. She made a deep sign, knowing that at least she got one hug from him before he knew what was best.

* * *

Hoo...hope that was a good read. I was really on edge with those two scenes because Romantic Drama is difficult. Way more harder than Horror or Mystery. I believe it's particularly hard because the slightest thing can irritate you about romantic drama.

Yeah, I know about the references. I can't help it. That game in a phenomenon being fun as hell and humorous at the same time. Not to mention how much it's exploited for laughs.

On a smaller note, my poll will be up for one more week, then I'm closing it. After that, I shall hold up a new poll considering Vigorous Intent. So get your votes in now!

Please Review! And if you do review, I'm really hoping for some critique. As I've said, drama can be hard so I want to know if I pulled it off right. Thanks


	31. She Loves You

Finally done. I've finally completed a fanfic. Now I feel like doing three things: Napping, Thinking, and Praying for Fanart. :P

I know I'm a bit late, but my friends recently had trouble with something. I'm not going to say what it is, but it royally sucked. Anyway though, I have posted and completed this story. I shall be backing it up and holding onto it for all of those who wish. I do wish to state now that the Lucky Channels here aren't really relevant, so I can delete those on request.

I was also dumbstruck by something that happened this week. For about a month, I was thinking about a Beatles song that would work perfectly with what happens in this chapter that I heard on the radio. And now, my good friends at Harmonix have the The Beatles exclusive to their game. What the hell...but hey, I'm happy. Anyway, I hope you all really love this chapter, as it has finally completed this story.

**Disclaimer: Yoshimizu owns Lucky Star**. **The show is animated by Kyoto Animation. Watch it, Love it, Buy it. Yasuhiro Kaito and Kurohiko Ryuta are property of me.**

* * *

**Chapter 31: She Loves You**

Yasuhiro Kaito had sprinted out of the Izumi house not too long ago to be with the girl in all of Japan that he had wished for. A bit strange though, considering the one he wished to be with was from the United States. Nevertheless, passion energized his soul while he was running off to the apartment complex where she dwelled. He ran into the streets of the city to get closer to her building. However, he didn't take something into consideration.

Japan was naturally prone to be busy with geographical size to the number of people. On a Saturday after school, it would just get plain ridiculous. Several people felt like sardines stuck in tins as they tried to navigate through the city. Kaito regretted going on foot, but still kept his eyes on the prize. There was no point in turning back now, especially since going back to his house would take twenty minutes.

His pace slowed as he began to take a few breaths. At this moment, he started looking around the structured environment surrounding him. It was rather mystifying at this time of day. The sun isn't completely gone, yet the sky was still tinted by its power. He looked on at the sights, seeing a second movie theater and a nearby cake buffet. It would be good to remember that these things were in walking distance from his girlfriend's domicile. Even with all of the people and businesses, there was one thing that caught his eyes.

Kaito stopped at a bench. There were several benches around Japan, nothing special about them, but was more amazing was the people at this particular one. It was like he was stuck in pause mode. On the bench, Minami was gazing up at the sky with bags of groceries in her hands. A tightly coated Yutaka was using her lap as a pillow while laying her body on the bench. She bent her neck down to see the observing otaku. This wasn't one of her female friends, so she didn't feel as embarrassed. Her scarf covered her blush well.

"Yasuhiro." She acknowledged.

"Iwasaki." He said. He glanced down looking at her possessions. "Shopping?"

"Yes. Nothing too special."

He took a close examination to some of the bottles in the bags. "Strange, I thought those were special items that were limited to one customer."

She tried to look away, knowing her wrong. "They are."

"Hehe, that's cool. I would do that sometimes for my parents."

"I see." She randomly said. Something had been itching her brain that day that she finally would have a chance to say. "Yasuhiro-san."

"Yes?" He said, taken back.

"Do you hate me?"

"Well I..." He rambled off.

"It's ok if you do." He was a bit perplexed by her honestly. "I don't really feel special compared to other people. Sometimes I think I blend into the background. I believe that if Yutaka got so flustered from something you said, then you must have some kind of grudge."

"J-just don't t-think about it." Kaito said, like a suddenly stopping rollercoaster. "I don't hate you at all, you just confuse me."

"I confuse you?" She tilted her head slightly.

"People love you." He listed off. "You have a dog who loves you. You are one of the fastest runners at Ryōō. You are fairly intelligent. These are all things people strive for. Yet you have all of these things and you are so cold. Why?"

"Well, it's..." Minami tried to speak.

Kaito put his hand in front of her. "I don't really care at this point Minami. I've learned that it's better just to let people be rather than dig into their personal business. Well, digging into personal business is what got me where I am today."

"With Patricia-san?" She guessed.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"It must of been tiring for you to get yelled at by Yutaka-chan here."

"It was, but...I believe things worked out. And it's best not to really let people get under your skin about what you do. Logic just happens to get the best of us. When someone acts a bit irregular, don't you get worried about them?"

Minami curled her arms together, thinking about precious Cherry. "I do."

He started to blush. "I was just a little concerned over you, that's all. Right now, I still am. But I've learned that it's best to know about who truly cares for you."

"I get it." At that moment, for the first time, he watched as Minami's face muscles pulled apart. She smiled at him. "Thank you."

"It's no problem. Though I believe..." Kaito wondered.

"What's that?"

"If you want to know true happiness, then you should think about what you are doing now."

In a mere blink, Minami watched as Kaito ran away back into the streets. She looked back up at the dim sky thinking about her life. Happiness was all around her. Even after meeting with her adversary, everything had been patched up. Though she got a little bit baffled hearing the sound of a phone click. She looked down at her own cell phone to check the time. She soon had to get home and cook dinner for everyone.

However, she couldn't stand up at the moment. That would interrupt Yutaka's nap. The tall teenager leaned back against the bench as her coat pressed against her body. Heat from the coat and miniature girl began to slowly transfer to her body. Her subtle smiled lasted throughout the rest of the day, enjoying this moment. Her family would have to wait just a few more minutes.

* * *

While it was cold outside, inside of the Kusakabe house it was quite steamy. Particularly in the daughter's room were games were abundant. Misao, herself, was panting at an accelerated rate with her tongue moving around her fangs. After a few difficult songs she was rubbing her feet while sitting on the ground. Simple things can put on a lot of strain on the human body if done repetitively. Lucky for her, she wasn't alone.

"Got you the drinks like you asked." A voice said, entering the room.

"Excellent, Kurohiko-kun!" The energetic girl responded.

Ryuta tossed her a container of canned milk coffee. As she caught it, the two of them banged their drinks together and drank them deeply. The perfect way to start off a nice evening was to drink caffeinated beverages. With a few more to go, Misao quickly finished it and promptly threw it in the trash. Ryuta set his aside, plopping on the girl's bed. Before he could get completely comfortable, he heard another voice ring throughout the room.

"Uh, Kurohiko-san..." Ayano asked.

"Don't worry, Minegishi. I got you some C.C. Lemon like you asked."

"Great." She nodded, getting her own drink.

"So you ready to do some playing?" She grinned.

"Of course." He nodded.

Ryuta slid down from the bed to the floor as Misao was fiddling with the buttons. He removed his shoes and socks for optimum home play. After getting to the adequate song, Misao moved some hard, wooden chairs by the two pads. Ayano watched listlessly as the two athletes prepared for their sports. The fanged girl looked at the boy who was messaging his feet.

"Are you up for this one? I'm not sure how skilled you are."

Ryuta looked curiously at the oblong pentagon of difficulty. "I'm not an expert, but I am pretty good."

"Ah, that's good." Misao nodded. "With proper training, you could play together with me."

"Really?" He smiled.

"Yep. Ayano here isn't too much into games even if they are stimulating like this." The said girl looked at the two of them innocently from the remark. "But it's good to know that I have a partner for future playing."

"You go to tournaments?" He said.

"I've seen a few." Misao went on. "I wasn't too good back then, but they were fun to watch. Never participated."

"Hope I can get skilled enough then to do stuff with you."

"You will." Misao then did something a bit unpredictable. "You will."

Misao lunged towards the unsuspecting Ryuta, placing his back against the floor. She wrapped her arms around him as she kept that devious little smile. The bespectacled teen enjoyed it, but it was still a rather surprising move. Ayano on the other hand, was a bit stunned on the subject. She was a little worried over it all. She was Misao's best friend, but they didn't have that much in common. The plain girl began to wonder if she was just painted into the background than someone to rely on. She had to speak up, but couldn't make it too obvious to ruin such a sweet moment.

"Um...even though I can't play games well, I can still watch or try, right?" She said.

"Of course you can!" Misao shouted.

"That's the point of rhythm games." Ryuta nodded. "Fun and togetherness."

"Good way to mentioned it." Misao said in an intellectual manner. "I shall have to teach Hiiragi that. But, you should just know that even if you aren't good at games, you can still enjoy them, right?"

Ayano usually didn't know Misao for her insight. But her heart warmed up from the statement. She took a sip of her lemon soda before she gave them the delightful phrase she was known for. The two then stood up, starting up the game. All three of them looked at the game in anticipation. This was going to be a good evening...

* * *

"I'm here..." Kaito thought to himself.

He finally reached his romantic checkpoint. On the top floor of the apartment, he would find his love hopefully doing nothing embarrassing at that moment. Kaito had seen too many movies where confessions were done in bathrooms or right before someone fell asleep. It was a rather big mood killer for such a dramatic flow of emotion. He stretched his legs preparing to go up through the lobby and up the elevator.

In Patricia's room, she was leaning her back against one of the walls in her room. After what she had been through over this long period of time, it was nice to finally be able to take a break today. No work or school for two days. However, she did have a promise to complete. She started to feel a bit uncomfortable after not moving for two minutes. At least at her job she would have the advantage of moving around during something like this.

"Done." Hiyori said, making a content sigh.

"Finally!" Patty said in relief. She sat down next to the artist to see her work. It was only a sketch at the moment, but the filling and shading made it look very convincing. If only it were in color, that it would be perfect. "Very impressive, Hiyorin!"

The meganekko scratched her head as she looked on. "Aw, this is nothing. You should see what happens when I pull an all-nighter on something."

"I guess it's a good thing it's Saturday."

"I'm just glad to have a model for once." Hiyori mentioned, making Patricia giggle. "I don't think I have the constitution to ask Yu-chan or Minamin to do something."

"Well, I don't see why we can't ask Konata."

"But Kona-sempai and Yu-chan are fairly different."

"Just think about Yutaka if she were a bit taller and had long hair."

"Easier said than done." She admitted. "However, sometimes those moments of fantasy do help me get through the day. The idea of Minami in armor saving her lover from a fierce dragon is just the right idea too...too..."

From that moment, Hiyori drifted off into her imagination. Yet during that transition, her body was still stuck on planet Earth with drool seeping from her mouth. Patricia just sweat dropped and continued to watch her. This was a more common occurrence than people would think. She had to be relatively cautious on special nights like Valentine's Day. With in a few seconds, Hiyori snapped out of her trance to deal with a simple matter.

"Bathroom."

Patty slinked under the kotatsu while still looking at Hiyori's drawings. Hopefully she wouldn't have to deal with Hiyori going into another one of her phases. Especially in somewhere embarrassing like the bathroom. The classroom was bad enough considering the amount of looks she would get. Her mind sharpened suddenly to the door which was getting pounded at with a series of hard knocks.

"Hold on for a sec!" She shouted.

Right after settling down, she didn't like the fact she would have to get up again to answer the door. Even small things like this would get on her nerves. She rotated her neck while she walked to the door. Could have been a salesman who slipped through the lobby again. She slowly flicked the door open in one smooth movement. Her mood shifted, seeing a serious-faced, heavy-breathing Kaito.

"Kaito-kun..." She said softly.

Unlike what had happened weeks ago, Kaito took control of the situation.

He immediately wrapped his arms around her in a gentle, but tight bind. Kaito gazed into her with heavy eyes and pleasing smile, ready to make his mood. His lips slowly but surely connected with hers. That familiar touch had sent tingles down their spines. Patricia followed her sense of passion holding him as tightly back. While stuck in this trap of pouring emotion, he moved into the apartment.

He spun the two of them around putting themselves in the middle of the living room. Still bound lip to lip, Kaito started to weep and moan in enjoyment of the moment at hand. However his overwhelmed mental state didn't tell him about his physical position. Patricia moved a bit deeper into him from this surprising encounter. So much that it caused him to loose his balance and fall down right on his back. On contact, the released their lips. They were still smiling but rather concerned for one another.

"Ow..." Kaito bellowed. "Are you ok?"

"Sorry, Kaito-kun." She said. "I should be asking you that."

"I'll be fine." He said, wiping away his tears.

"What brought you here?" She asked.

"I just...need to be with you." He responded, locking in his hug.

"I wish you would have told me in advance." She snickered, looking at him. She started to notice the tear stains around his face and uniform. "Have you been crying?"

"Yes, I have."

"Why?"

"I'm happy."

"Call me crazy, but shouldn't you only cry when you are sad?" Patricia stated.

"I should, but...this is different. I just finally have realized that I will always be with you."

"Oh, Kaito-kun." She started to warm up. Her heartbeat was starting to move at the frequency his was moving at.

"There's nothing for me to worry about anymore. I know what it's like now to be fully accepted by those who you care about. It's the most satisfying thing in the entire world."

"More than winning a costume contest?"

"Probably more so." He nodded.

Patricia's face changed to insatiable joy at that moment. "There's also your prize..."

"You're a woman, you know that?" He joked.

"In the situation, we both win. Because I get to be with you." She began to cuddle against him.

"Patricia-chan." He muttered.

Once again, they let their physical actions do the talking. Patricia pressed her mouth against Kaito's, kissing him deeply. Since his back was stuck to the floor, she moved around his shoulders and hair. Both were feeling particularly smooth than usual. Kaito began to feel the glorifying heat from his lover's body. Her face, her legs, her breasts all felt so incredibly tender. He slowly rubbed against her back and hair like he did last time in the elevator. The two of them could not believe the state of happiness they had created. Perfection and bliss can come from such simple things.

Too bad for them, Hiyori walked out of the bathroom early and had a front row seat...

* * *

Miyuki and Tsukasa waited outside of the movie theater for their friends to arrive. While several patrons were lining up, they started to worry if they would get there on time. Sure, they had plenty of time for tickets, snacks, and finding seats but it was still nice to be prepared. The two of them looked around to make sure they weren't hiding in plain sight. It wasn't too common for Konata, but Kagami would try anything once.

Lucky for them, that theory was quickly dashed.

"Yo!" Kagami said with Konata promptly following her.

"Onee-chan!" Tsukasa perked up.

"It's good to see you here." Miyuki bowed.

"Can't wait to see the movie." Konata yawned. "Even though it is getting rather expensive."

"Don't think about trying what I think you will." Kagami stared at her.

Konata slowly put her hands behind her back and slowly began to sway. She even moved slightly enough to cause her hair to shift. Like any good waitress, she learned how to act really well. She stared at Miyuki with innocent eyes hoping she would give in.

"Onee-chan, what should Konata do?"

"Oh my..." The meganekko said, astonished by her new attitude.

"Just because it worked last time, don't think it will this time. The person at the booth will get suspicious knowing you have two completely different looking older sisters."

Konata shrugged off the fact her plan didn't work, but stood in line anyway. Her three friends followed as they began looking over the movies that were available. Lucky for Kagami and Miyuki, there were only two anime adaptation movie available that had already been out for several months. Hopefully they would be watching something much more traditional with real actors. They all reached the ticket seller, getting their respected items even if they were a bit overpriced. The four girls gathered around a cardboard cutout of the next upcoming movies as they decided to talk out a game plan.

"Ok, so I'll be the snacks while everyone else gets their seats?" Kagami stated.

"Exactly." Miyuki nodded.

"Thanks Onee-chan. I hope they give you a box to hold everything." Tsukasa chimed in.

"They will."

"Well, knowing Kagami, she's probably had tons of experience moving snacks from place to place." Konata laughed.

"Shut up." She said plainly.

Expecting what would happen next, Miyuki decided to change the topic to a recent trend she had been noticing. "Have they been moving the ticket takers closer to the entrance recently?"

Tsukasa added in her own thoughts. "I've been seeing that too, Yuki-chan. In a small movie theater, they usually won't have someone to do that, but in large movie theater like this one, they have been moving them up. Usually they are right outside of the movie doors."

"I suppose it's to make sure people paid for their tickets." The tsundere assumed.

"It's a pain though." Konata huffed. "Usually movie theaters are littered with displays and arcades to have you pass the time. If there are no other arcades around, then we have to pay to get in. It's such a brilliant tactic to lure in the constantly bored..."

"Movie theaters are for movies." Kagami said plainly.

"I do like though when they have arcades. Even if sometimes I get a little too distracted." Tsukasa mentioned.

"Oh, but then you have to sprint out to your theater and hope you didn't miss anything?" Konata continued.

"It's a good thing that they have so many previews now before the actual presentation." Miyuki said.

"With all the advertisements and previews it can take a lot of time. But I suppose it is nice for those people who come in late." Kagami affirmed.

"Especially since they've been showing off any kind of commercial now. From video games to soda, you will see it." The otaku said.

The four of them sighed, thinking about these simple things about this place of visual pleasure. Even if most of their thoughts were complaints, they did make the place special. These girls reflected a lot on simplicity be it anything that would occur. Konata, Kagami and Miyuki felt a bit fuzzy inside considering how long this kind of feeling would last. Tsukasa had a different opinion, as another topic was deep in her mind.

"Kona-chan, Onee-chan..." She spoke. The two girls looked at her questionably. "What happened between you two and Kaito-kun?"

Kagami made a grimace to Tsukasa's question. "You'll have to ask Konata. She got in the final words before he just ran off."

"Oh, it's simple." Konata said with her cat-like smile. "I forgave him."

The three looked at her in confusion, leading Miyuki to speak. "Did he do something?"

"I...I thought he would of made you mad Konata." Kagami said, looking away. "If he loves someone else, then you would be sad."

"Aww, look at Kagamin caring for me. Feels so soothing..."

"D-Don't say that!"

"Anyway, it was pretty simple. He wasn't two-timing between me and Patricia or he lied to all of us. It was more of that he was worried about losing our friendship."

"Interesting..." Miyuki said.

"I see." Kagami nodded.

"It was kind of nice. So many harem leads are such immature whiny losers that they don't take girls into consideration. It's kind of strange how some of the most attractive girls in the school fall for such undeserving people." Kagami slanted her brows while Miyuki and Tsukasa just looked innocently at the thought of it all. "Kaito however, cares about everyone and doesn't believe that you should hold one person better than all others."

"What does that mean then?" Tsukasa asked.

"So even though he loves Patty-chan, that doesn't mean he's going to ignore us or stop hanging around us. He still values our feelings even though what has been done."

"Aww...that's cute!" The younger sister commented.

"So that's why I forgave him."

"Quite insightful, Izumi-san." Miyuki smiled.

"Aren't you worried though?" Kagami said, getting an equally curious smirk from Konata. "If you l-loved him, then do you feel bad he's with someone else?"

"Not really." She said simply. "I'm happy, you are happy, we are all happy. Love doesn't mean you have to stop being happy about what you already have. If you aren't in love, that isn't necessary a bad thing. To be honest though, I'm happy just the way I, no, _we _are. I think I could live this way with you guys for years to come."

"Kona-chan..." Tsukasa started to sniffle.

"Now we must group hug." Konata suddenly said while extending arms.

"What!?" Kagami questioned her impulsive action.

"In a normal setting, after my heartfelt speech, the thing we are supposed to do is hug."

While it was strange to see Konata in such a way, some of them applied. First, Miyuki attached herself to Konata with one arm around her shoulders with her breast near her head. Getting one out of three already made Konata grin more. Naturally Tsukasa followed by going to Miyuki's side of the chain. Her friends were valuable to her like everyone else. The only one left was Kagami. She looked a bit shy knowing people would look on at the subject, but it was rather hard to reject those faces.

Kagami entered into the circle of devotion. The four students of Ryōō all huddled closed together knowing that even their simple lives had felt enriched by their experiences. After ten seconds, they broke from their link but all felt very pleased and warm. They moved all ahead to watch their head, even if it was terrible or not. Konata rested her head onto the twin-tailed tsundere, knowing that this level of greatness would not diminish for a really long time.

* * *

After several hours and a few tissues pressed up the nose later, things were at ease at the Martin Apartment Room. Even after that little stunt that Hiyori became witness too, she calmed down relative quickly. It wasn't the most passionate thing she had thought of before. Physically however, it was. Kaito was lucky that the fujoshi had already known about the relationship. She fully supported it as well, but that came with a few consequences.

Things finally cooled off now, except for the bond between Kaito and Patricia. It had been still be blazing hot, enough to forge iron on. They, even now were holding onto each other. In the corner of her apartment, Patricia was currently sitting on Kaito's legs with her arm wrapped around him. He sat there very content with his legs pointing straight at the television while holding Patricia safely in his hands. It was a delicate moment, both of them stuck there with nothing to do but look at each other.

It was truly peaceful.

"Stay with me, Kaito-kun." Patricia said.

"I will." He said back to her.

"Life is grand" were the words mind echoed thinking about everything that had gone on. His final year of high school was pretty good considering the last two. A simple gaming otaku turning into a more social-able, girl-caring otaku. It was the right kind metamorphosis to change through even with all the risk and chance. From whatever would have happened, he knew that it was all worth it. Trials and Tribulations would always leave you with something at the end of the room.

"Hey." The foreigner said to get his attention. "I love you."

"I wanted to say it first!" Kaito exclaimed.

"Oh, you did? Then you can kiss me and call it even."

"You are a great negotiator." He made a playful smirk at the girl.

Kaito and Patricia, once again engaged in the art of pressing lips. It was a bit less heavy than what had previously occurred being stuck in that particular pose. They simply swayed their heads around while keeping the center steady, feeling each other's mouths. The two of them closed their eyes as they lingered on into the world of intimacy. Without the hazard of the public eye, they could do anything they want. However, they were still under the watch of rimmed, circular glasses.

"Guys!" Hiyori whined. The two broke and looked at her confused. "If the two of you keep moving around, then I can't draw your heads correctly!"

"Sorry Hiyorin, but...well...you know." Patricia defended.

"I can give you something else to look at though Hiyori-chan." Kaito mentioned. "Check at my cell phone for pictures."

Hiyori shook her head knowing she'd have to break this shot for a meager request. She grabbed the chocolate colored cell phone and started to fiddle threw it. After figuring out the interface, she reached the pictures section. Shades of crimson started to come from her head looking at the genuine picture. It was just so perfectly caught in the moment. She hadn't had a scene this good since the Fireworks Festival.

"Oh my...that's good. _Really good_. Go nuts." Hiyori suggested with steamy glasses. As she walked to the kitchen to sketch this, she had one last question. "After I'm done with this, do you mind if we get back to posing? Can you sit still for a few minutes?"

The two looked at each other while smiling. They simultaneously answered the second question and shook their heads. "Nope."

Hiyori sighed, but giving the two of them a reassuring grin she went to the kitchen to do her work. The two of them were now alone.

Kaito and Patricia looked at each with pride and joy as they held each other by the arms. It was this kind of feeling that made everything else feel insignificance. Whatever would happen to them next they would not mind. Being together with their otaku-fueled romance they had nothing to fear. No obstacle that could get in the way. It was a security system aligned by trust and reinforced by enjoyment. Kaito could not believe the fate that was given to him. Something so wonderful and fulfilling should be shared with everyone he knew.

The newly form couple remembered that day: Where Love's weaving and winding pattern has fully tied them together.

* * *

And now it is finally done. Thank you all, you faithful readers who decided to read though this story. I know it is long, but I hope you all have enjoyed the ride as much as I did writing it. I never felt this accomplished after sticking all the way through with this fanfic. I hope to catch some of you guys later with some of my future projects. The end of this story does not mean my end to Lucky Star.

To any of you fans of Vigorous Intent, I shall update that story at least three times before the year ends. Games can inspire you, so this gives me an excuse to be kind of silly and fun at the same time. Along with whatever songs I choose, my main goal is to entertain you all. Which is why I have my new poll up reguarding it. Please go to my profile to look at the new poll to vote and suggest to me any songs you want. If you haven't heard any of the said songs, type them into youtube.

And reguarding that last poll, we actually ended with a tie. So what will the new title be? You'll just have to wait, but it is narrowed down to the big two.

To any of you Haruhi fans, be sure to look out soon for my new upcoming fic: The Cracks in Broken Mosaics

**To all of my readers from KeRose, to Max, to Akai-Kurenai, Kefka VI, Akar, MarroTekatsu, SpandexTree, Nabigou, anon of 4chan, XLife, the allmighty MORONRON, MidniteCurse4Eternity, SolBadguy154 and anyone else who I may have missed. Your reviews have helped me through tough times. To anyone who read, thanks for your pageviews. Those are great boosters too. Thank you all for reading, A Second Opinion!!!**


End file.
